OVERSEAS SERVICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 279, 5 March 1941, Page 5

OVERSEAS SERVICE

WHAKATANE APPEAL LIST SITTING OF NO. 2 BOARD RESULTS OF YESTERDAY'S SESSION

Cases before the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board, were investigated at a sitting in Whakatane yesterday. Some seventeen appeals against service oveir seas were heard and 1 full evijdence accorded in each instance before a decision was given. ! The personnel of the Board was Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M. (chairman), A. E. Manning and J. W. Neate. The Crown was represented by Mr J. B. Seymour and the Board Secretary was Mr G. J. Grace. In most instances the grounds were for undue hardship andl public interest affecting as they did, men who were farming on the Plains and who were unable to find suitable persons to take their place. There were also a number based on conscientious grounds but in practically all these the appellants expressed a willingness to serve in a noncombatant capacity. The board was sympathetic and fair in its deliberations endeavouring in all cases to giVe witnesses the fuill benefit of their evidence which was not hastened or cross examined. Sharerriilkers' Pleas A sharemilker, Arthur Clarence Wilson, who appealed on grounds ol undue hardship, stated that he was employed by Mr T. Davies of Taneatua, who was acting as co-appellant After giving details* of the terms of employment witnfess said that there were only two on the farm of 120 cows. Thomas Davies in evidence sakl that he owned properties at Opouriao and over ihe Rangitaiki Plains embracing seven milking sheds in all. He did not wish to keep any man from going overseas, but was faced, with a mcst difficult problem since his son had enlisted, with the First Echelon. He had no intention of standing in the way of anybody's duty but the position as far as securing reliable workers Avas concerned was most serious. The appeal was adjourned sine die providing the appellant remains in his jjresent employment. Mr G. Otley appeared for Daniel James Brophy, farmer of Otakiri, who said that he was faced with the loss of his sharemilker who had recently given notice. In the event of his going away he knew of no one capable of taking over and supervising the place other than his father who was not able to do active work. He himself worked about ten hours per day. After answering several questions relative to his method of farm management the appeal was adjourned sine die providing appellant remains in the present productive capacity. Short of Labour Thomas Herbert Howell (Mr Otley) said he was farming an area in Otakiri from which last year he took off 39, OOOlbs of butterfat. He was also going in for pig breeding on a growing scale. The farm was exceedingly short staffed as far as labour was concerned. It was impossible to obtain new labour and though he had in the past supervised the farm and carried out all the team work, he was forced to do shed work as well. Arthur Nathaniel Marsh, sharemilker for the appellant, endorsed remarks made by him, relative to the shortage of labour. Appeal adjourned so long as the appellant remains in present productive capacity. Ronald Leslie McDonald, of Nukuhou North, submitted a statement of his position. His father, Mr L. A. McDonald of Papatoetoe, stated that his son's farm bred pedigree stock and Avas producing well, though he Avas extremely short handed. Appellant himself stated that his brother Avho was in partnership with him had already enlisted for service in the Air Force and was awaiting notification. The appeal was AvitlidraAvn later vvith the consent of the Board.

Mother's Appeal Appealing for the postponement of her son's call to service Herbert Bloomfield Hutton, a railway employee, Mrs E.-Hutton of Taneatua, stated that her difficulty had been to find a house. Both she and her husband were elderly, and depended upon the appellant to furnish them with a home. One son was already serving overseas. Appeal dismissed on the understanding that the appellant was not called up before June 1. Loss of Supply Edward. Wardlaw, dairy farmer of Waimana, for whom. Mr T. J. Hamerton appeared, submitted a statement indicating the acute shortage of labour on his farm. He himself worked about 14 hours a day in order to Cover the duties entailed. To Mr Seymour, he said lie did not think any person would be prepared to take over his lease as it would not be sufficiently attractive. Mr Mitchell, chairman of directors of the Waimana Dairy Company, in support of the application, said that owing to the steady falling off in supply to the company's factory they could not afford to lose Wardlaws. Referring to labour on farms —he said that if the native labour was taken away at Waimana farmers would be in u very serious position. Adjourned sine die provided he remained in his present employment. Religious Grounds Herbert Stanley Worsnop, railway employee, who appealed on religious grounds, stated that he was a number of the Christadelphian Cliurarfi since May, 1939. He was not prepared to perform military non-combat-ant service but was willing to do j ordinary civil work. Mr Paterson: "Would you be willing to assist In the Emergency Precautions Scheme." Appellant: 'I would rather not if it oame into conflict with the teachings of Christ." He added however that he would be willing to assist in organised rescue work in the event of an emergency arising. To Mr Seymour, he said he' could recall references in whiph Christ had forbidden the use of the sword, and produced the Bible for the correct quotation. Mr Seymour claimed that the reference was not necessarily a command never to use the sword and drev/ attention to a previous passage where the command to the disciples was to sell their garments in order to obtain a sword. An interesting argument ensued relative to the question of paying taxes, to which appellant had no objection, and which, Mh- Seymour maintained was tantamount to the actual service in the prosecution of the war. After a brief cross-examination by Mr Neate, decision was reserved. Undue Hardship Undue hardship and public interest were the grounds of an appeal by Anton Mervyn, Wisnewslci. Evidence of the co-appellant, A. R. Wisnewski, stated that he was a sharemilker employed by Mr D l . L. Murray, of Otakiri. He was milking 140 cows and was assisted by one son and one other employee. He had three sons all passed fit and was appealing for only one. He could not get labour. Adjourned sine die so long as appellant remained in his present occupation. Cartage Contractor An employee of the Uepango Sawj milling Co. Jack Moulden, of Te Teko, aged 2P years, appealed pn grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Mr Otley conducted his case. The appellant stated that he had purchased his truck and commenced his contract in July, 1939, and the contract expired in August. He was due to enter territorial camp in April. Mr L. B. Smith, manager of the Sawmilling Company, stated that Moulden was the only reliable carrier the company had been able to obtain others requiring, exorbitant rates or being irregular. The cartage of timber was important to maintain the output of the roill which was chicfly used for Government purposes. < I

Appeal dismissed So long as appellant} Avas not called before May 1. Satisfactory Grounds Eric Albert Chamberlain, of Whakatane, appealed on the grounds of undue hardship. Appeal dismissed, but appellant advised that his grounds being satisfactory he Avould not be called up before July 1. Farm Manager's Appeal Public interest < and undue hardship were claimed by Arthur Charles Hogbin, of Taneatua, who statedi that since before Christmas he had been managing his father's farm of 65 acres. Cows milked were 35 at present. To Mr Seymour he stated that lie was married and his wife could not assist him. His sister was taking care of his invalid mother* while his father was unable to work owing to ill-health. Mir A. F. li'ogbin, father of appellant,, stated that he served two years witlTmine-sweepers in the last war but was not injured. His health was bad and he held it unlikely that he would improve sufficiently to resume work. Adjourned sine die providing appellant remains in his present occupation . Could Take No Part "I think its contrary to the teachings of the New Testament and on those grounds I can take no part in the war," said Donald George Campbell, farmer, aged 26. "I might add that I have held these views for some years before the war started." He added that he had more or less always held such ideas, but had not definitely adopted them until three or four years ago. Such had been his teachings all his life and on reaching the age of discretion he had become of the opinion that the taking of life was quite x Avrong. To the Commission he admitted that hp had read pamphlets which had advocated pacifism published by the Christian Science Society. He was not a member of the Society, but his parents had been handed pamphlets by friends. The arguments printed he considered sound but he had found nothing that he had not already concluded himself. The appellant added that he did not belong to any Church. He had been a member of the Presbyterian Church but had left that at the iage of 10 or 11 years. To Mr Seymour the appellant said that he could not avoid paying, taxes which devoted to war purposes, and it was not his fault to what use the money Avas put after he had paid it. The Bench: Like Pilate he washes his hands of the responsibility. Mr Seymour pointed out that if the appellant was sincere in his conscience he could not surely l take Avages and thus assist the war by providing money. Appellants I am quite prepared to face a firing squad for my principles anyhoAV. To a question as to whether he would assist wounded in the event of Whakatane being attacked, Campbell stated that he Avould assist civilians, but would not aid wounded in uniform if by doing so they would go on fighting in the future. Mr Francis Bell Maunder gave evidence that he was of the opinion that the appellant was genuine in his objections. He had been acquaint ed Avith him and his family and was aAvare that such views Avere strongly adhered to by them. Similar evidence was given by Mr C. P. Lucas, Methodist Miinister. The decision was reserved. Religious Beliefs Stating that he was a Seventh Day Adventist Leonard Robert Ruddick, of Taneatua, appealed on conscientious objection. He stated that he was willing to do any form of non-com-batant serA'ice and in replj' to the chairman said that he Avould appreciate having his views of the Sabbath observed. Decision Avas reserved. Religious reasons Avere given by Charles Allan Conn for his appeal on conscientious giounds. He agreed to undertake any non-combatant serA'ice and had in fact made enquiries Avhich had resulted in him receiving information that he Avould be admitted to the Medical Corps. The appeal Avas dismissed providing appellant was not called unon to serve in other than the Medical Corps.