RESERVISTS' APPEALS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3057, 19 April 1917, Page 7

RESERVISTS' APPEALS

CASES HEARD IN WELLINGTON The Second Wellington Militar.T Sevico Board sat ia»tho old Parliamentary Buildings yesterday to hear appeals made by lteservists. The board consisted of Messrs. J. W. Poynton, S.M. (chairman), F. Curtice, and T. A. Baumber. Captain Cowlishaw was tho military representative. The adjournod appeal of William "Patterson, grocer, Tinakori Road, came up for further consideration. The evidence showed that Patterson was an only son and, was -tho mainstay of the business, oni which his invalid parents were dependent for their support. Efforts to sell his busineßß haa failed. The chairman- said that the ..case would bo adjourned in order that tho assistance of tho . National Efficiency Board xniglit be sought in discovering a substitute for Patterson. Tho board thought it desirable that thei business 'should be' maintained./ -The Wellington Woollen Company appealed for the temporary exemption of a voluntary reoruit, Walter Sydney : Kadcliffe, clerk, of Neaio. The company 'stated .that Kadcliffe was doing important work in connection, 'with munition contracts,, and could liot easily be spared at once. No appeal bad been made in the cases of fortyfive other employees. Leave was granted until July 31. F. S. Pope, Secretary for Agricul-. ture, appealed on behalf of 0. Stephenson, dairy instructor. He said that at the present time the Dairy Division was unable to meet the demands of the dairy factories for the services of instructors. Only twelve instructors were available for several hundred cheese and butter factories, and the number was inadequate. . A further shortage of instructors would mean a reduced standard of production. The number' of officers could bo doubled with advantage to the Dominion. Stephenson had forty-five factories under his supervision. , He was an expert and was giving practical assistance to the dairymen. , In answer to Captain Cowlishaw, Mr. Pope said that it would be impossible to fill Stephenson's place without taking a skilled manager- from or«e of the dairy factories., He would not feel justified in doing that, since there was a shortage of managers. ■

Pte. J. W. M. Askew, Twenty-third Reinforcements, was granted: leave uiitil August 1, onPthe application of his father, a Nelson fruitgrower. He was a-voluntary recruit,'with a brother already at the front. His servioes were required on the farm. / On the recommendation of the Military authorities, Driver R. J.. Coleman was granted 1 indefinite leave without pay, on the ground of undue hardship. _ Tlie appeal of James Robertson Morris, boot finisher, Wellington, "was adjourned for a. month. Morris appealed on the ground of undue hardship, his wife being in ill-health.

Thomas John M'lntosh, meat works employee, was granted'.leave until May 24, on the application ,of his employers (the Gear Meat Company), who stated that the services of the reservists were necessary until the end of the season: The case of Joseph Alfred Smyth, a clerk in the Post and Telegraph Department, who .acts also as secretary to the Public Service Board of Appeal, came up for reconsideration. Evidence had been taken by the Third' Wellington Board in February last, and the hearing adjourned for two months. Smyth stated that he had' a brother.in the forces. He was contributing to the support of his parents, three sisters, the wife of his brother, and his wife's young brother. He had married in April, 1916,' and so ranked' as a First Division man.

The chairman suggested that appellant should make an application for financial assistance. Exemption could not be given on the ground of bard-, ship,, since appellant had 1 married since the outbreak of war and had no children. ■ His wife appeared able to earn money. He had purchased a home after marriage,, and the Government might be willing to make a grant to cover interest on the mortgage. The case would be adjourned in the mean-' time.

The appeal of James Abraliam Dunn, farm contractor, Silverstream, wasre"heard. Mr. I/uckie,' who represented the appellant,, produced a statement signed by farmers in. the Silverstream stating that Dunn performed important work for tliemi Appellant, had a farm 'of his own, and was a married man with a wife and child.

The board gTanted!_ leave sine die, the case to be' reconsidered before the Second Division was exhausted.

FraAcis A. Cannon, marine engineer, appealed on the ground of public interest. He was employed as a fitter at the Patent Slip, Titers a great deal of work was done for transports. After hearing evidence tile board decided that Cannon could not he exempted. He was employed tat fitter, not as a marine engineer. Leave was granted -until May 10. The hoard adjourned utftil 10 a.m. to-day.

WOOLBUYER'S APPEAL WHAT PERIOD OF RESIDENCE CONSTITUTES A RESERVIST? By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, April 18. Before the First Military Appeal Board, William V. Robertson, ' woolbuyer, appealed as he was not a New Zealand'reservist. Mr. Witeombe, for the appellant,, said appellant came lioro in November, 1915, and had been specially detained in connection mth wool commandeered, and was paid by the Imperial Government. ' Major Conlan said the Act was vague as to what constituted a reservist in the interpretation of "reservist." Appellant had left England twico sinco tte war, and was willing to fight, but desired to go Homo, whero liis people lived. Major Conlan drciv attention to the Defonce Act regulation that residence of six months by persons under 30 years made them liable for military training. Counsel quoted authorities as to . varying interpretations of "residence" during the war. The case was adjourned, and submitted for the opinion of the Solici-tor-General. Major Conlan mentioned that there wero many shearers and others in-Australia not wishing to reside for any lengthy term because of the doubtfulness of the Act as to what period of residence constituted liability for. service.