THE CALL TO SERVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2972, 9 January 1917, Page 6

THE CALL TO SERVE

APPEALS FROM THE BALLOT SOME QUEER CONTENTIONS 0 By Telegraph—Press Association. : " Dunedin, January B. *; At tho sitting of the Otago Military ? Service Board to-day at Dunedin, tho , adjourned appeal of Cecil Eadem Tait, i l dental student, was heard. The appeal was supported by the Chancellor of the ''Otago University on behalf \of Dr. 0 I'ickerill, Dean of tho Dental School, who is on active service. J The chairman announced that tho appellant had*"been passed as fit for home service, and was willing to take 0 up duties as clerk. Tho appeal was formally dismissed, ' tho appellant to be drafted to home service. . . [ The appeal of Alexander James Cooper, shunter, was supported by Mr. Bowles, Railway District Traffic Manager, who stated that he was icting under instructions from the General ■ Manager of Railways, on the ground that the services of railwaymen in certain branches were essential. After discussion, during which tho board expressed the opinion that many extra trains, such as race trains, might be eliminated, the chairman instructed Mr. Bowles to inform his Departmental officers that the board was fully in accordance with the Wellington board's expression of opinion regarding _ the necessity of eliminating extraordinary traffic. It was -possible that military exigencies might necessitate a rearrangement of the, ordinary traffic. This appeal anel similar appeals by the General Manager of' Railways on behalf of James Joseph Whitty. a fitter, and Thomas George Randall,j>hunter, were adjourned till tho next sittiugs of the board. . . . RANGIORA APPEALS 'A MEMBER OF THE BRETHREN. ■ ■ ■ -\ By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, January 8. At the Rangiora Miitary Appeal Board, Charles Werner Lang, fruitgrower, of Kaiajpoi, appealed upon tho grounds that hia ca-Uiiig-up would constitute undue hardship and would bo prejudicial to the. interest of the country. Ho possessed a 20-acro place, 13 of which were planted in fruit trees'. He also objected on religious grounds, as ho belonged to the Uretbren. Ho would not. object to performing ainbti'.anio work, but ho, objected to faking up arms. After a lengthy argument between appellant and the chairman of the board (Mr. J. S. Evans, S.Ji.), the latter stated .tha tthe,.appellaut was not engaged in a production essential at tho present time.' Bo had no dependants, none of his people had gone to the war, and he had a brother who might bo able to look after the place. The board recognised that it was a case of hardship, but they could not help that. 'With Tegard to tho religious grounds, it hadi been ascertained that quite a number of the Brethren were serving, and 60 far as the board could gather every man was left to his own individual views. -Some considered that the bearing of arms was contrary to Divine revelation. Others went to tho front. The board's own views were quite clear. They did not think 'there was any prohibition against the bearing of arms in the Bible at all. They did not think God or Christ would sanction or approve of any of His followers ' turning. their backs' on women and children needing protection. "As a religious body," lie- said, "you havo not brought yourselves within tho section of the Act. The appeal will be dismissed for the reasons given, and you will bo allowed two months .in which to make arraugements with regard to your place. Appellant: What about taking up arms? : ■ " ■ The chairman: "ft ell? Appellant: I cannot do it. I must therefore do the next best thing. The chairman: Well, no doubt the military authorities will fix things up for you. We cannot do anything in the matter as you dp not come within the section of the Act. -William Edwin Hodgson, of kaiapoi, freezing engineer to the North Canterbury Sheep Farmers' Freezing Company, appealed on the grounds that his calling up would be contrary to the public interest. James Reay, works manager at the freezing works, also appealed on behalf of Hodgson, upon the grounds that Hodgson's services were indispensable to the meat trade. He stated that at present one thousand sheep and from forty to fifty head ol cattle were being killed daily at the works, and they would soon be working their full capacity. It would take a man of sharp -intelligence to qualify in three months as refrigerating engineer. '■ He admitted there was a possibility of frozen produce not being shipped, in which case he said refrigerating engineers would be the only valuable men on tho premises. Tho .Chairman stated that witness s company -was only a new concern, and the old freezing companies were clogged because of lack of shipping space Witness replied that his company were providing" extra- storage to help tlio farmers to save their flocks. .>' The Chairman: And in the meantime the New Zealand consumer has to pay a high price for his moat, -while yoii aro storing it here. The Chairman added that this was. ono of these border-line cases where a medical examination would be of importance tn tho board. The appeal was 'adjourned for a month to allow of appellant bring medicallv 'examined, and to ascertain the position generally in regard to engineers. German Parentage. Carl William Tritt, farm hand, of View Hill, appealed on tho ground thst he was not a reservist. Ho said he was appealing to test a newspaper statement, otherwise he would not havo appealed. His parents were both Germans. v Ho was born beforo they were naturalised, . and therefore, according to a newspaper statemont he vtas. a German. This ho wished to tost. The Chairman said that the appellant was a British subject, having been born in a British possession, but under the War Regulations there might he soino persons born of alien parents who might be regarded as antagonistic. The appellant had expressed no sentiment against the British Empire, however. The appeal would be dismissed. MEN WHO OBJECT TO KILLING WOULD RUN AAV AY IF HUNS ATTACKED HOMES. Masterton, January 8. The Military Appeal Board dealt with' thirty-threo cases at Masterton to-day. The principal cases were those of five sons of 'a fanner named Campbell, all of whom objected to servico on the ground that they did not believo in killing. One said ho did not' liko taking tho lives of sheep or rabbits. Pressed by a member of the board as to what he -would do if the Germans were to attempt to outrage female members of his family, he said he would run away. Tho board dismissed the appeals of three members of tho family, and held over tho appeals of the other two pending medical examination.