MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2994, 3 February 1917, Page 11

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

MORE APPEALS DECISION RE MARINE ENGINEERS ~ 'Yesterday the Third Wellington Military. Service Board heard another batch of appeals by;men drawn in the ballot. Mr. W. H. S. Moorhouse is chairman, and the other members are Messrs. A. O'L. Considine a.nd M. J. Mack. Captain Baldwin is the military representative. 'Decision was given in the cases of the, following marine engineers whose appeals had been heard at a previous Bitting:—Percy J. Ward, Arthur W. Bagley, Erio A. Cole, George C. Wadsworth, Alexander M. Wishart.

The board decided to adjourn the appeals till March 2, and- said that it .expected that in the ■ meantime the ■ .Union Company would replace the men. A Y.M.C.A. Appeal, Y.M.C.A. authorities appealed for the exemption of Stanley Vernon Parsonson, a. Y.M.C.A. ' secretary, now Berying in Franco. E..C. Brownell, national secretary of the Y.M.C.A., said the institution's understanding with ' the Defence Department was that in future thoy would not send men who were single and fit. Captain Baldwin:'l take it, then, the Y.M.C.A. will make no new claim ? Brownell: No. Witness' added that they had seven or eight other eligible: secretaries at the front, and had taken no steps fo replace them. „ Captain Baldwin: Should you not bring them back'and replace them? Brownell: The National Committee are willing to fall in with the wishes of the authorities. 0. R. Smith, a member of the National Committee of the- institution, presented a statement from the committee covering the value of the work done, and saying that the withdrawal of secretaries already at the front would entail dislocation and result in a set-back to the work in hand, v The appeal was adjourned sine die, ' and appellant was granted suspension from military service meantime, provided he remains in his present cmfloyment. > The hoard, hoped the .M.O.A. would endeavour to reduce as much as possible the number of Erst Division men bo employed. A Mother's Plea. Thomas Reeve, farmer, Paparaiigi, Oohnsonville, appealed on the ground of undue hardship.. His mother and three sisters were dependent'on a small pig farm he was running. Two of his brothers were at the front. The Board adjourned tEe caso till May 1, when it will be reviewed. Exemption from service meantime was granted, When the decision was announced, Mrs. Reeves came forward, and asked the Board to consider that if anything happened tp her, and hor son was at the war, there would he no one to look after her young children. The Board said the daughter, who ■was twenty, oould look after th.e two young children. The mother: A girl of twenty could not-look after them. 1 Some Leave Cranten. Harry Robertson, a baker, appealed on the ground of undue hardship, and 'his employer, Mrs. Scott, supported the : appeal.v Mr. J. J. M!'Grath, who ap- ' peared as counsel in the case, said that Mrs. Scott had two children, and that all' her money had j been sunk in the business.: She had heon unable to replace Robertson, tr. to sell the business..;..' Tho.Boarcl se-cured-Robertson, one month's. l?ayo. Charles E. Matthews, Inspector of |

Prisoners, appealed for an extension of time for Thomas Grealy and Richard Flynn.who were in rharge of convict gangs which were road-making. Leave till April 27 was granted.' An appeal was made by Birch and Co. for an extension of time for Luther Stephenson, whoso services were said to be essential 1.0 the proper carrying out or the company's contract for the, supply of fodder to Trentham and Featherston Gamps. Another man was being trained t.o do Stephenson's work. Leave was granted till March 3. Arthur William Sievers, milk deliverer, South Makara, appealed on the ground of public interest, and his appeal was supported by the dairy farmers of the district. They said that to get their milk daily lo the city vendors they relied on the motor service which Sievers had established. • It was also stated that Sievers, who, by the way,had gone to the South African War, was especially suited to the business. Lea,ve was guaranteed till March 3. Mr. G. J. Petherick appeared in support of the appeal, and said that personally Sievers was willing to go. Undeolrieri Cases, In the case of George Murray Ness, mercer, for whom Mr. P. J. O'Kegan appeared, appellant's mother appeared, and said she was a widow'dependent.on her son. Decision was adjourned for the financial aspect of the c»6e to be gone into. Hugh Mooney, dairyman, Petohe, represented by Mr. H. F. O'Leary, put forward undue hardship as a ground of appeal. He gave details of business and family reasons for his appeal, and the-case was adjourned for certain further evidence. Sidney Charles Lowe, farmer, Main Road, Karori, appealed on the ground that it would be a hardship to him to have to go in view of the terms by which ho held his farm. If ho could arrange certain matters he was willing to go. The case was adjourned till Wednesday, for an interested witness to be called. Other Cases. Dr. Hay, Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals, aßked for the temporary exemption of Ronald George Keith Hodgson, assistant medical officer at Porirua. -Dr. Hay said the mental hospitals had been understaffed since .war began. The appeal was adjourned sine ,die. I Edward Draper, farmer, Pahautanni, for whom Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared, claimed that service would bo an undue hardship to him as he could not got anyone to look after his farm. His mother was dependent on tho inoome I from the farm. ■ Decision was reserved. j _ Paul Baiter Eastham, merchant and importer, Hataitai Road, Hataitai; who asked for exemption for four months, said lie managed a building scheme, initiated by his mother, under which three houses had been built and five others were pending. The request was refused. . The appeal of Henry Alexander, dairy farmer, Wallacoville, for whom Mr. A. W. Blair appeared, was dismissed. The ground relied on was undue hardship, the working of the farm depending on appellant. An employer's appeal was lodged on behalf of John Walnisley, shoe machinery expert, Kelburn. Mr. H. E. Evans. who appeared for the appellant, stated that Walrasley was one of only three men in New Zealand who understood recently imported sho'e.machinery.'Tho case was partly heard, and further consideration of it was then deferred. The board .will sit again this morning.