THE CALL TO SERVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2975, 12 January 1917, Page 6

THE CALL TO SERVE

l-v" ': EOMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS : , v EXEMPTED ... |y^/;- APPEALS , i ' : ':' 7": .' V. . ...'.■:' K: :f: :j By-'Telegraph—Press Association., i - • Christchurch, January 11. !■"■;'•■» At to-day's sitting of the .-Canter- !" bury Military; Service'- Board; .Bishop [. Brodie appealed:on behalf of Arthur |: 'Leopold' Berger, .of Christchurch, and : ; -Hiohaer Andrew Murphy, of Timaru, I' ■; : Eoman. Catholic priests.'" The exempl■■■'■•• granted. '. '■' ■ I -The Railway Department appealed behalf of. James "Wilson, fitter, and -'Thomas '■' Richards, locomotive 1 fireman, s ''-iipon- the:ground th,'at it would be cont ■ ■ ftrary.'to v the public interest 'to ' call I ■-:"'■■ up. Tho Chairman' stated that I'it'-would bo much moro satisfactory to f; :have all the railway appeals heard in' ': v v'Wellington/ ' < Mr. .Stragleman; railk':. 'way' district who apP- '■Reared 1 in support of, tho appeals, J,, with this'. -The appeals were I- .'adjourned sine die. . ■',„'■ i ;i -k .Robert "Walker Baker Gale, of Sprey-. :" 'don," clerk, appealed upon the ground : of hardship. ■Hβ said that one of hia N-' : brother3 was killed;, There was only f'V,■•himself.'left.'to look after and support (£'■'.', his/people. '.; The Chairman, said that that concerned the f& 'Board -was ono ■; of sentiment. ■ -Tlie f "-V-Board. admired appellant's family. for f": ■ vltho; sacrifice' they Lad. made, but they I'.' ; ; cbuld/not : allow sentiment' 1 to carry f i>;:.■'them away.''The appellant could make (','■. an allowance to his parents out of his £■','■: pay.- Tho appeal was dismisseed. l'.-: ; ':. Henry Martin Dartriall, clerk, " ap::i on.the .ground'., of conscientious J- .^objections.' : He .claimed to be a'mem■i:, : vJ>er ofLthe '''Church of God;" and could jUc'inot take up arms .with; ;|a-'; clear conV:":'science. -Tho' appeal was• dismissed, & : .V. 'end the' appellant recommended as a' '■? '• •.'.■"; ;Bon-combatant.. ' ' , ■ : fc rf ' INVERCARGILL SITTING , EV.S'\ '"■■.:■■■,, '— .■.■,'•■ ■•'•• |:."V i'-i"Bt Telegraph—Press Association, p :v V ' Invercargill, January 11. ;r •:': 'At tho sitting of tho Military Appeal. !',: 'Board the case of James Bradshawj who has five brothers serving, f.'.-'-and-wbo enlisted but was rejcctediwas i.\ adjourned. James Barlow, grocer, !-;j.;.',_. ■wlisi allowed till March'to make finani.i.cul and other arrangements. The apI:' , ' ;peal of Arthur Pranks, whose brother '?•'.] been'killed, and those of two dairy were dismissed. In the case \-'.:. :i of Owen Churton, wool sorter, his K,".'- , employer stated that if Churton were I-:,;- '.called up he would bo nimble to replace ;;'■.'::■■ him. .''ln a.few days the firm would >':■'' start ion the Government wool, which iy.;.'.would take six months to sort and I;/.'.;'-'?scour. "The appeal was dismissed; b-.' "''j'An announcement regarding voluni/r;; '■■ "tary enlistments was made by the Hon. te; ;; ,iJames,Allen, Minister of Defence, in a jV:•■.;.-.'recent'letter to tho Marlborough Re- |'..; cruiting Board. At present a man I;; enlist witliout'lu's employer being to';':"able to appeal on the ground of public i: , ';'-interest for the retention' of the .re-- =-.■."'. services. Mr. Alien states:— *; ''•;, •'"'As regards voluntary enlistments, the t-.; ■'. Recruiting Board has definitely decided, ;.:.. ".iipw that 'the Military Service Act is ul in operation, that men are not fo be acf;.! x-Vcepted-for more than two drafts aliead, j'" • -and 1 regret, therefore, that a varin;i: tion cannot be niado in favour of Marl- £''■'■- ,-~-librougli°.. I may.point out that should sV; v -an employee or a son of a farmer pn- !..■;. rlist aiid the latter consider that the Li.' : employee's or tho son's services nre :r. .reotiired ■in carrying on the ■: .-• Mrni work, lie may .appeal for the caK p '. .;ing up of the'recruit to he postponed, {„■ .;'..'■.•• and arrangements are being made to j-.'; ,/;havo all; such applications considered r> , :'.■'. :fb'y;:the District Military Service Board, '" : :,.;.' in the same manner as though the, h ■ soldier had been-coiled up by ballot."' Ji..: ,;.'.; Arthur Leslie Franks appealed on fj':■."'■ the grounds of undue hardship. One F.'.. brother had. been killed at. GalMpoli, [u■.._:, arid the. only other brother was thirP- ';■■■■;' teen years of age; The fatlier was 60, :" ■ ■ and.ablo to do light work only. The '\. -.. -appeal,was dismissed. 'I. i;.. John M'Leary said -lie had teen ■.'.■■ : 'medically , examined, and his appeal had i-.: . ;been withdrawn.- ' :V "Henry M'Conachie appealed on bei::,,half of Athol Iloy M'Conachie, and ?-':;...■■;asked for three months' leave. .He \o ' :Was .an only son. Witness had a /•;Ov printing business, and employed one y/- v :o_t]ier lad besides his son, who was Jiis >> '■■>■ '; righthand man, and his assistance was ;'. -absolutely necessary. Leavo was |f. till April!. •.. ; : : James- Henry Boniface, farmer.' .'-. . : .Gorg6 Road; aged 31, farmed fifty-one ]■■'.■ ■■■■■ acres.' He had been ten years married ! : last; August, and milked ten cows, j';' .grazed cattle for neighbours, and had ]■■- three brothers. His mother and :;.. father lived at Riverton. Tho father i: : was '•.engaged; on a, .sawmill. One -,".-■:,'.. brother had been, killed at the front. ';..'. Two others were married. . One was ■;\ single. James D. Shepherd, chair!;v man-of. the Gorge Road Recruiting ;v • -■'■'. Committeo. gave evidence to tho effect i '.': that appellant could easily go to the ;•: front.' Hβ had bought the cows, etc., :;v, ;. for ! _the purpose of dodßing military ;■ . 'service.—Appeal dismissed. :,;. William W. Millar, Invercargill, 25 1,,:' -years of age, had. two brothers in the iv -second division; and two at the war. ■,-■ Ho asTced for leave till the eud nf April. I. .'Leave till March 1 was granted. I ■;"■ i' Owen' Churton appealed on the ':': '.-.ground of undue hardship. Wm. A. f,:v; Brown, of Brown Bros., fellmongers, i. said lie employed the appellant, who [!:'.-■■.'■■', was'w.wool sorter. Six of the men I .'/■ . were at the front. Four wool sorters f'i were loft. If appellant went he would ; ; probably be nnablo to reclace him. '■r.. ; About January 20 ho would start', on ;.'.-, the Government wool, which would :'.-.■■"■■'.:• lake about six months to sort and ',--.. ■ pcour. _ Wm. Slaughter, Inspector of K-. \ Factories, said ho had no applications I---. ,from farjners for labour for the past ;:; two months. Ho did not know if ;,'.. there were mefi and boys available. \'< .In his last report ho had said that the ;.'..■ labour scarcity was not serious. P° ;. -. thought hia Department was well- -.- known to the farmprs, and they would •.'•... probably come to him if they wanted labour. Ho had never had inquiries : for wool (sorters, and no complaints of i '■ a- shortage-labour from the fellmonc;-' pi's, although he visited two during the ;;.■ • Inst -few months. Ho had never been ■ in Brown ]?ros. Shearing , was cut J'"; out earlier in the North Island, and thn !■• classers and sorters were released, mid , if they know there was work here thov \- ■: would come south. Fellmongcrs had complained to witness of a shortage of ; . sorters. No doubt they could have ' got men from the north. The appeal i ' • -xvni dismissed. ;:' • ' Geo. Morton, dairy farmer, had two married brothers engaged in farming. ; ' Onn other brother had Mt thp . farm, I and gone to the war. His father was i. . . -/. seventy vears of age. . AvTiellaol had I ' not tried to get awav. Hia brothers I could onlv innnagp llieir own fanns. j\ • Appellant's father , had snid that, if hi= i pon went away ])<> would have (lisros" , ! I'-.-. , "-.V °f the farm, us lip could not work ft. ?■-'■: ...Two of the flnuf'itprs "ouid do t l '" !"'.! .■ milkini;, but Jm didn't think ho could got labour. It was a biish farm, ant! [-,'..-,. 'a boy would bo no good on it, or n. p',' : : woman, citlipr. James Shepherd, V?.'' : chairman of the Gnnrn Road Rem-uit-'ft■'-'■'■ mo Committee, said that ho had_^f,o \Y, '■' work under worse . conditions tnnn \\ tlioso rilling on tlm Morton farm. He \ V tWurht thev could: manage with outV \ sido help. 'Tho appeal Wfls dismissed, \ V the anDellant being allowed till April 1 \■' v -rto m.iko .irranprements. \ \ James Brarlshow -ii(l he. had five \.' \ ■ . • ■ ■ .

brothors serving with the forces. He himself had onlisted and been turned down; His mothers and sisters wero dependent on him. His only remaining brother was 16 years of agq. Mr. Wuldowsou, to Captain Free: "Do you want to ask him anything?" "No, sir." . . Do you want to compliment him? No: They speak for themselves, sir. The appeal of Alexander Geddes was allowed, appellant proving that he was over age. :,- ■ The case was adjourned sine die. James Henry Barlow,'grocer, Invercargill, said that ho had two brothers at the front and ono at home. He asked for about three months on account of financial difficulties. Appellant: "I'm broke, so it doesn't matter much." - . . Captain Free: Would you' bo satisfied with ono month? "Oh, just ploase yourself," answered -the appellant. "I want about three months to fix up, get married, *and attend to one or two other things. I couldn't do it in the grocery business, but I'll be able to do it when I'm with the Government." ■ ■ ■ ' The appeal was dismissed; the appellant being' allowed till March 1 to inako arrangements! . Percy Emanuel Holtz, : Invercargill, appealed on tho ground' of undue hardship. Ho presented ' a statement of his financial position to tho board, and asked for six months exemption. By that time, by studying infantry drill and attending classes, he could go into camp on the best ibasis possible. He had two brothers, ono over military age, and the other was about 45. Tho appellant was 33 years of age, married, and liis wife' and child_ were dependent on him. The board said it was sympathetic, but the Act was there, and they had to administer, it. The appeal would have to bo dismissed. '> Pierce Prendorgast, Invercargill, said that his parents were dependent on him. His father was 71 and very weak. His .mother was in her sixtieth year. The appellant was a telegraphist and wanted to got ayay as such with the Forces, as ho wouldthen get .half-pay from the Department'. One brother had enlisted, and was now in camp. A younger brother was : still at school. A third 1 brother was a cadet telegraphist, and also in the ballot. The appeal was dismissed. Donald White Wildbush, farm labourer, said ho worked on his father'sfarm of 400 acres, of which 50 acres wero in oats and 30 in turnips. They had about 80 head of cattle and milked 30 cows, sending tho milk to the factory, and also ran sheep. His parents wore in fair health, and worked on the farm. One brother was in carrip, and one married on his v own farm. . The youngest brother was still at school. r-He- had two sisters away from home. He had enlisted, but his_ parents had prevented him from going, as they could not do without him twelve months ago. He was willing to go after the harvest. The appeal was dismissed, appellant to bo called on April 1. James Alan Whitelock, Tihaka, said that of his brothers, :three were married, .and one, aged. 16. was at home. His parents were old. They milked ten cows on the farm. Appellant had not onlisted. Hβ had weak eyesight; His mother was seriously ill., Exemption was granted on appellant remaining in the same occupation.' Pearce George Bridgman, sawmil>ey, Pourakino, ■ was appealed for by his employers on the ground that their industry was' an "essential ono. James Moore, junior, the employer, said Ins' ,mills were in tho Longwood Ranges. 12 miles from Riverton. He had lost sixteen men through (the war. Thev employed , about forfrv at present. If tho appellant went he would have to fill his place with an incompetent man, and accidents would bo more likely to occur. \He had' several accidents during tho last six months through having to employ inexperienced nien. Bridgman was foreman of one of the. mills, aiid one of the two sawyers, Thomas O'Byrno, secretary of the Sawmillers' Workers' Union, gave evidence as to the scarcity of sawyers. About 500 members of the union had gone to the front. Captain Free suggested that as they wero only half a nine apart, and trado had gono off, one'team could work two mills alternately, and thus release one body of men for other work. Only one sawyer would then be' required. The board said that the first question was whether the industry was an essential one. The other question was whether the mill could get along without the appellant. The evidence showed that the mill was only running half time, and the board thought that Captain Freo's suggestion was a feasible one. Of course.sawyers were essential to the industry, but in this case tho board did not consider that the appellant, would be indispensable at 'pre'sent. He did not consider to be an essential industry. Appeal dismissed. ■ . Ernest Victor Shirley (Colac) said ne was married la-st year, and was fit to go now, but asked for three months' grace, as ho had had his leg hurt He was a sawmill hand. Appeal dismissed. William ' Todd (Pukemaori), farmer, farmed 252 acres, which carried sheep and cattle. Ho had enlisted twice and been turned down. He -was only fit for home service. The appeal was adjourned for three months. John Walsh (Nightcaps), 38, a farmer, said ho farmed ICS acres and ran sheep. He had 40 acres in oats, and 60 in turnips and grass. He had no brothers, and lived on his farm and did the work by himself; He had made no effort to dispose of his farm in order that he might get away. Hβ had been medically examined and pronounced unfit for service abroad. Appeal adjourned sine die. Patrick Francis Clifford said that he had not enlisted, in the interests of his parents. Adjourned sine die. Robert William Williams, farmer, stated that he had ono brother wounded, and one at the front. The third, of seventeen years, was in an office. The case was adjourned sine die, conditional that ho remained on tho farm. Ernest Victor Shirley, sawmill hand, of Colac, asked for three months' leave. The case was 'dismissed. ltichard Pennington, farmer, Isla Bank, was allowed until April 1. ; James Kirkpatrick, farmer, Waino, ! nsked for time, as his work was behind. . Dismissed. James Fraser, ironmonlder,. Invercargill, said he had several brothers. Six \ were married and one einglo brothei - was at Trentliam. None of the married . brothers could contribute to their

. parents' support. Dismissed. ■ Roderick M'Donald, farmer, Ofcapui. • appealed on tho ground of undue hard- ', ship. Ho had a farm of 430 acres. He [ and his brother tossed up as to win r would go. The brother won, but ap- [ pellant stated that he was willing to g< f if the board thought he was not domr , his share. Exemption granted niiti ' 1 'Frank Edward Preston, slaughter , man, of Ocean Beach, appealed on ,th< ground that hia enlistment .was con ' -trary to the public interests. The ap ! peal was upheld so long as appellani j was engaged in his present occupation John Bruce Thomson, manager foi Thomson and Co., Invercarglll, appeal \ erl on tho ground of undue .hardship j Ho stated that he was single. Tin members of the firm were fourcousins Two were single and two'married. Hi 1 liad no brothers. He would like to gi j to tlie front, but his time was ver , fully occupied with his business. Hi had seven or eight racehorses and : half interest in another'. Ho ha< , fivo in training at the presen ! time, and took an active interest ii r, racing. He'had only his own horses 1 and no business. His time was devotee ta racing, but ho never attended a meet ! ing in tho North Island, and had onl< been to eight or twelve in tho Soutl Island in the last twelve months. Hi

firm has been supplying tho troopships with aerated waters and cordials. Ho had no interest in tho business, and if tho Invercargill branch was closed down after the war no essential indus try would bo affected, only tho employees. A now plant had been halfore'eted already. Ono member of the linn enlisted twelve months ago. Geo. Thomson, managing director of the firm, said that appellant was indispensable because of his knowledgo of the manufacturing business. Tho Invercargill branch could be closed, but the firm had taken fifty years to build np the business, and the reason for appealing was not because the firm was afraid of losing a littlo money. Decision was reserved. Conditional exemptions were granted c to Phillip John Hellyer, dairy farmer, t Woodlands; Miohael R.. J. Flanagan, c farmer, Mabel Bush; John Thomson, I Cunningham, farmer, Pine Bush; Don- s aid Wm. Campbell, butcher, Lime Hills; Angus Smith, farmer, Maka- J rewa; Wm. Thomas Fairburn, Surface- r man, Menzies Ferry; Jas.» Winter/ farmer, Menzies Ferry; Arthur Grey, fame, Titiroa; Jas. Alexr. Dodds, farmer, Wairio; Wm. Jas. Johnston, farmer,' Eastern Bush. Tho following appeals wero dismissed : John Joseph Forde, farmer, Woodlands; Allan Robertson Kylas, sawmill ( hand'; Locliiel Ernest Duncan Sinclair, 1 farmer; Alexr. Edwards, farmer, < Centre Bush: Wm. M'Elchenny, la- i bourer, j The following were adjourned :—John c Mann, blacksmith, Wallacetown; David i Eric Sawmors, cheesemaker, Edendale; i Jas. Chambers, farm manager, Merri- i vale. :, ' Time was granted to Albert Edward Howden. dairy farmer, Matanra Island; Tlios. Neil, cheesemaker, Pino. , Bush; Francis H. M'Gdllvray,* dairy , farmer, Thornbury. ■ j 'Robt. Finlayson and Walter Hinds , appealed on the ground of being over , age, and the appeals were uphold. , k' ■ ' NO FINAL COURT NECESSARY i CLEARING THE ROLLS OF UNFITS. ' Under the Military Service Act tho ■ Government has power to set up a tribunal of final appeal to hoar and determine appeals from the'decision of Military Service Boards. The Defence Minister was asked yesterday whether i lie proposed to sot up any such tribunal. • Mr. Allen replied definitclyj in the < negative. "!• see no necessity for a final appeal board," he said. "Tho boards are doing their work very well, and while this is so there seems to bo no need for a board of final appeal. ,Wo have had only two or three- appeals from tho decisions of Military Service Boards' from the very many . cases heard 1 ." ' _ The Minister said that two additional Medical Boards had been set np, one in Auckland and one in Canterbury, for tho special purposo of re-examining members .of the Expeditionary Force, Reserve who have been turned down before as medically unfit. The object was to purge the roll from which tho ballot .was;drawn of a very large number of .-the "names of unfit men. This work would bo extended, and -would be undertaken all over New Zealand in order to discharge finally from t!he reservo all the medically unfits. ,