THE CALL OF DUTY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3004, 15 February 1917, Page 6

THE CALL OF DUTY

ANGLICAN CLERGY TO GO BEFORE MARRIED . MEN VARIOUS "ESSENTIAL ,, WORKERS The third Wellington Military Service Board dealt witli a long list of appeals yesterday. Mr. W. H. Moorhonse is chairman of the board, and the other members are Messrs. A. 0. L. Considine, and M. J. Mack. Among the most interesting cases were those brought bv tho Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Rev. Dr. Sprott) in behalf of two of his clergy—Oswald Morgan Stent, vicarage, Opunake, and Frederick Maurice Kempthorne, 339 Wellington Terrace, Wellington. Mr. H. E. Evans appeared as counsel in the cases. At the outset it was mentioned that exemptions had been granted j.y the Minister, subject to the decision' of the board, and that the position was.that the board must accept the certificate unless there were special circumstances. Mr. Evans said that in connection with the Ministry of the Church there were three possible ways in which detriment to the public interest might trke place, and that it was conceived that in stating them as follows:— (1) That the spiritual ministration to the iven at the front should not be fully maintained. (2) That the spiritual ministration to the civil population at Home which before the war could not, for lack of clergy be adequately carried put, and both during and after the

war must be regarded as'more essential than ever, should have to he further reduced. (3) That the Army should not have, the services (in capacities other than that , of chaplains) of the small number of clergy affected by the Military Service Act. 'in that, view of the matter it wae the determination of t)ie Bishop that every request to supply {chaplains for service in the Army should receive a willing and prompt response whatever the consequence to the work at home. While again following out the same view the Bishop felt that it was his duty to endeavour by appealing to the Military Service Boards to retain at their present work any clergy who ■ might be called up for ordinary military service. The chairman said that the board

would take each case upon its merits, and consider whether circumstances justified a departure from the certificate given by the Minister. Giving'evidence, Bishop Sprott said that he had fifty-nine clergy under his charge in a district which was 11,000 square miles in area. Ho, was perfectly willing that clergymen should go to tho war as chaplains, but it was practically impossible to replace any who went away. The sources of supply were limited, and he knew of no candidates for Holy Orders. England was now short of students for its own needs. The Anglican population in New Zealand was about 450,000, and the Dominion Anglican clergy totalled between 300 and 400. About twenty had gone as chaplains. Excepting °an assistant curate at Wanganui, he knew of none who had enlisted for the fighting ranks.

Captain Baldwin (military representative) asked if the Bishop considered that the safety of Europe, if it depended on the enlistment of tho clergy, would be of greater importance than the inconvenience of carrying on with a diminished staff;

The Bishop answered that he c'.id net believe our safety depended on the enlistment "of tHe clergy. If it did, we wero in, a bad way.

Captsin Baldwin nsked if the Bishop did riot think that single clergymen should go before married laymen.

"That raises the question of combatant service for ordained priests," said His' Lordship. Captain Baldwin: There is the Ambulance Corps. The Bishop did not think there would 'be objection to ambulance service, but anyhow there was necessary service/to be performed here. . The Church had done a'great deal in the way of comforting those afflicted by war, and he did not think the community realised how much had been done in this direction. Admiral Beatty had said that we would not achieve final victory until the nation practised prayer, and General Robertson had exhorted the Bishop of' London to make the nation more religious.

The board adjourned the appeals sine die, and granted exemption from military service meantime, the cases to be reviewed before tho First Division is exhausted.

The chairman said the board wished it -understood that it was of opinion that the First Division should bo exhausted before the married men were called on.

Seafaring Men. , '• Mr. W. T. Young (secretary of the Seamen's Union) sought exemption of seamen and firemen. The seamen on the list were:—Harry Smith, Walter Miles Scares, Alexander Sutherland, Peter Stewart, Alexander Robertson, John M'C'all, Walter Laurence Mason, Georgo Miller, John Gibb, and Joseph Davies. The. firemen whose names were set down were:—Richard Barry, John Joseph Day, John English, James Forgey, Archibald Hall, John Joseph M'Donagh, William John Payne, James Taylor, and Ajigus Pollock.

Some- of the men Mr. Young had been impossible to trace, and the following cases were dismissed:—Henry Charles Bennett, Archibald Hall, William John Payne, John J. M'Donagh (firemen), Peter Stewart and John Gibb (seamen). In reply to questions by the military representative, Mr. Young said that he was appealing for twenty-one nion, and that sixty-four eeafaring men were drawn in the fourth ballot, so that there would be still a ]argo number of appeals by him. The ground of appeal was that of public interest, the mercantile marine being regarded as a most essential industry.

The military representative asked a scries of questions with tho object of showing that the profits of the mnniufj of the ships went to tho companies, and that the Government furnished them with the means of carryfcig oji operations. , Mr. Young said that ho was not appearing for the companies,' but for bona fido seamen and firemen, and in tilie interests of tho public. All the appeals, except those stated us dismissed, were adjourned sine die, provided the men remain in their present occupation, and exemption from military service was granted for the meantime.

Shortage of Plumbers. Harry Harris, plumber, Johnsonville, appealed.on the ground of public interest. : Mr. Mazengarb, who appeared for him, produced evidence to the effect j:hat there was now a big shortage of plumbers in New Zealand, ana that it would bo contrary to the interest of the public health to send any more away. James Doyle, corporation sanitary inspector, slated that for some time they had had considerable difficulty in getting work done. Evidence was given to the effecv that 300 plumbers in New Zeahiul had enlisted. Captain Baldwin said Ll>ai the Department figures showed lint. ru\y ninety-six registered plumbers bad gone to the front, and he asserted that the plumbing trade .was not badly, off for

men as compared with some other trades. The appeal was dismissed. Slaughtermen Civen Leave. The following slaughtermen, for whom Mr. M. J. lleardon (secretary of the Slaughtermen's Union) appeared, had their appeals adjourned sine die, and they were granted exemption from military service meantime: —Auetin Cyril Baigont, Longburn; Alfred Ernest Wilson, Gonvillo; James Sydney Thomas Hubbard, Wellington ; Colin Burgess, Timaru; and Alister Norman M'Lellan, Tokoniaru Bay. A Family's Cood Record. Walter Herman Joseph Bath, bushman, Otaki, represented by Mr. P. J. O'Regan, appealed on the ground of undue hardship. He said he was the only son remaining with his widowed mother. He had Wo brothers at the front, and his mother had lost several relatives there. One of his two brothers had been killed at the war, and the other brother was in hospital in England. If his brother who was in hospital came back well enough to look after his mother (who was delicate) he would be willing to enlist. The appeal was adjourned for three months, and exemption meantime was granted. Shearers' Oases. Appeals were lodged for the following shearers:—James Fitzgerald, Hastings; Martin MurpEy, Culvordon; Thomas Boss, Wellington; John Mills, Cave. I Fitzgerald's appeal was adjourned sine die. and the other appeals were dismissed. Mills's appeal is being heard in the south. Two Dismissals. Appeals lodged by Frances Samuel Eller, traveller, Invercargill, and E. J. Hope. Manawa, French Pass, were dismissed. . The board continues the hearing of cases to-day. POSITION OF SMALL FARMER J3y Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, February 14. The First Military, Service Board today granted conditional exemption to the Itev. Button (Anglican) on the certificate of the Minister of Defence.

Prominent among the appellants before the Second Board at Balclutha were small farmors who could find no one to carry on their work satisfactorily if they went on active service. In adjourning one caso the chairman said Ltlie board intended to make representations to the Government on the subject of getting assistance for small farmers to work their places if they had to go. "They_must not rely too much on anything being Hone," the chairman added. CANTERBURY NO. 1 BOARD By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christctiurch, February 14. Before the Canterbury No. One Military Service Board, at Rangiora, to-day, throe appeals that had been adjourned sine die at a previous sittings were heard, the military representative alleging that the evidence had been suppressed. In two cases the appeals wore dismissed, and another was adjourned for further evidence.