MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2958, 22 December 1916, Page 4

MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS

OTAGO APPEALS By Telegraph—Press Association, Duneciin, December 21. At to-day's sitting of tho Military Service Board, John Grigg appealed! against the ballot on the ground that' out of throe brothers two woro serving at the front, and he, being a ship's fireman, thought he was doing his duty by serving on trojopships. He expected to be taken on the Makeno. Tho appeal was adjourned for a. month, to enable appellant to sign on. John Samson Fleming, orcliardist, Mosgiel,. appealed on the ground of public interest and undue "hardship. It was shown that, appellant's mother was in extremely delicate health. The appeal' was adjourned on this ground, sine die.

Stevenson and Cook, engineers, appealed on' behalf of Robert Thos, Medox, boilermaker, on the ground of public interest aiid.imduo hardship. Appellant is engaged on transport, work. The appeal was adjourned sine die, conditionally on appellant remaining .at transport work.

James AVilscn, bookseller and stationer at Port .Chalmers, appealed on tho ground! of undue hardship. As appollnnt merely wished for a.i extension of time for one mouth; to "complete his affairs, tins' was allowed!

The Military Service Board continued its sitting to-day. '

' Samuel Young, jun., farmer, Outram, appealed on the ground of hardship. Appellant is '3D years old, and worked ou a farm belonging to his father, aged 77 A brother, aged 21 years, assisted on the farm. The ppeal was dismissed.

Frank Fernisky appealed nn the ground that he was a' ship's' fireman. The case, was adojourned for a month to enable the hoard to' ascertain the position regarding small coastal steamers. The cases of Richard Donaldson, fireman on thoWillochra, George Shel-. niordine,-'fireman on-tho Kokiri, Ben : jamin Hoffmann, fireman on- the To Anau, and Charles Gledden, seaman on the Tofua, were 1 adjourned sine die, conditional /on . the men retaining their present occupations.

Michaclis Hallenstein and Farquhar Lanners appoaled on- behalf: of James Miller, on the.ground of publio interest. The appeal was dismissed.

William Munro appealed tin the ground that he. had enlisted twice previously, and. was< waiting to be called up, and having been detailed for garrison duty he objected to being called up as. a conscript. JTho Chairman said appellant was under orders to remain here, and if lis was ordered to go no doubt he would go. The appeal was withdrawn.

The General Manager of 'Railways appealed: on belialf of James Davidson, litter, James Saunders, surfaceman, and Edward Lofevro, firoman, on the ground of public interest. The cases of Davidr son and Lefovre were adjourned sine die, conditional on the nieii. remaining in the same occupation. Saunders also appealed oh tho' ground that ho was the main support of his parents, two sisters', and one brother, and also for conscientious reasons. , Tho appeal was adjourned for a month; representations to be made to tho Department. John Griffin, gardener, appealed on the ground that he was the whole support of ail aged 'father and mother, both of whom wore ML The appeal was dismissed. . James Keenan-appealed on religious grounds. Tho appeal was dismissed. William Lean, carpenter, appealed on the ground that he was the/solo support of his mother. Tho'appeal was dismissed. Richard Harris, joiner's machinst, appealed on. tho ground of undue hard- ; s .\ Ti l?.-' :.'H°'.. sa id.'.v_nrother: '.had; been' Jdlled ..'at. Gallipoli. —TWnppeal-was dismissed. DAIRY FARMERS' APPEALS ' "GOVERNMENT MAY- SUPERVISE SOLDIERS' FARMS." By' Teiegraph-Press .'Association.. Hamilton, Dccemhor 21. Of thirteen appeals heforo tho Military Sorvico Board to-day twelve were granted a short extension to settle their, affairs, and l one was dismissed l as over age. Tho majority of • the. appellants wero dairy farmers, who declared that it was impossible to got labour at any price-, and to he sent away would mean that their cows and farms would go to ruin.

Major Conlan, military representative, said that it was-possible that Government supervision of tho farms of meii on ser/ico was.not improbable, and' that rejects would-be conscripted as farm workers. He did not think tho Government would allow farms to remain unproductive during tho owners' absence. ■■■POSITION-OF SEAFARING MEN.' By Telegraph—Press Association. -. Dunedin, December .21. A fcaturo_ of tho Otago Military Board's sitting to-day, i when twenty appeals' from tho first ballot .wore heard, was tho number of employers' appeals. Mr. Young; tho Seamen's Union secretary, applied for exemption of three- marine firemen, whoso appeals wore adjourned indefinitely conditionally upon their remaining at essential employment. In ' the case of a. fireman on the coastal vessel Kotare,' Captain Freo contended that this transport work was nob essential. Mr. Belcher, on behalf of appellant, said the Defence Minister had issued instructions that tho mercantile marine be exempt. The 'mercantile marine voluntarily had sent to the vtar 1800 men ; and it was necessary in tho publio interest to protect tiie service. Tho case was adjourned for iunuiry regarding tho position of coastal steamers. The Manager of the Railways appeared on behalf of .threo railwaymon on the ground of public policy. Two of the appeals were allowed.