EXEMPTIONS SOUGHT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 192, 3 May 1918, Page 7

EXEMPTIONS SOUGHT

BOYS' INSTITUTE DIRECTOR MILITARY SERVICE BOARD'S DELIBERATIONS The Second Wellington Military Service lioiird continued its sittings yesterday. Its personnel comprised Mcssis. .1. W. l'oynton, S.M. (chairman). !'. Curlice, and Guy Williams, and Captain Ueale (military roprosontalive). A lurse number of appeals in respect of military service, were dealt with. Ernest Cecil llwild, manager, AVcllintjt.oii, applied lor lime in order to enabfe him (o transact certain business affairs.— The board recommended that leave 1» granted till tho first draft in July. "In the Name of Justice." Some time was taken up in consideration of tho appeal lodged on behalf of Frank Ross, director of the Boys' Institute, 'Wellington,- by his mother. Koss was previously exempted at tho instance of the directors of the institute, but this time they lodged no appeal for his exemption.

■ Mr. M. Myers, who appeared for appellant, said that Mrs. Koss was a widow with three sons. One of the sons had been killed, and the other was now in cam]). Frank Koss, who was now tlm sole remaining son, supported his mother. Tbcro was one girl, single, who vas employed as a typiste, but was unable- to contribute to her mother's support, .lioss now felt the strain upon him so much In connection with his work at tho institute that ho was relinquishing his, position. Mrs. Ross Rayo evidence, and Koss himself followed with a spirited appeal. Tho institute, he' said, was not appealing for him on this occasion, and lie preferred to let his case rest on its merits, and not shelter behind his position. "I come." he exclaimed, "in the name of justice." It was ono of those cases in which a man felt that ho liad two duties, and his duty lay at home.

Captain Benin': You are a singie innn. If you are exempted a man wilh children will liiive to taka your place, are you prepared Ross: It is my mother's appoai. Captain Beale: Is your mother prepared to sco this happen? Koss: My responsibilities are greatni than those of very many married nion with children.

Captain Bealo: The hardship in your caso is nothins like that of many, many cases that como before I his board.

fioss, in continuing his nvidenco, went on to point out how tho work in which ho had been engaged was turning oiu good citizens, ito was salaried at J!350 u yeai. He hud no position to go tn after ho relinquished his position witli tho institute.

in announcing the decision of ll\o board the chairman remarked thut the board had to deal \yith many cases of greater hardship thaii ihat of Boss. At this stago in the war the board could not exempt any single mun. The ajineul would be dismissed, and ltoss ordered lo nnncoutrato on Juno 19 for the purpose of going into camp. Mr. Myei-6 asked that before tho board gave its decision Koss be given an ojj. nortunity of seeking assistance from tho Pinancial Assistance Board.' If lie wput thero after his appeal was dismissed, it would bo of very little, use to him. Mr. AYilliams, protestingly: That in a vary serious statement to niaku, that l.ho lwiard doee not treat cases on tbeir merits. 1, for one, will most certainly take no notice whatever of it. Mr. Myers explained that Mr. Williams liad entirely misconstrued iiis renin rks. His statement was not meant (o enst any reflection on the Financial Aesisfanco Board. Ho had merely wished to point out that Boss would have, a better opportunity to approach the board before lib was ordered into cnmii. The board refused Mr. Myors's request, and tho original decision ordering Uoss into ciuup will stand. Clergymen's Appeals. Tho following cases were adjourned sino die:—Thomas Andrew Gilbert. Catholic priest, Wellington; Maurice John I'itzgibbon, Catholic priest, Lower IJUitt. Mi , . H. J?. O'Leary, wfco appeared for tho appellants, explained Ihat they wern bnlh fully ordained clergymen. , Jlr. Evans appeared for the Anglican Bisiibp of Wellington in the case cf William David S. Ogden, clergyman, Wauganui, which was similarly dealt with. I'our other cases weru adjourned sino die on the understanding that tho. appellants remained in their present posi-tions:-Walter M. Jackson, third ent'uieer. William Herbert Cudwalllader, third officer, and David Mitchell, electrical engineer, in tho Union Company's service, and Leslie Arthur Sterickcr, marine engineer, Auckland. Application was made by the secretary of tho Federated Seamen's Union for exemption in the following cases: Thomas Dnniels, fireman; William John Lyon, ablo eeamaii. Leave was granted during such time as tho reservists remained in .their present positions. Waterside Workers. Exemption was sought by Mr. G. Bruce secretary of tho Waterside Workers' Union, for tho following waterside work, ors: Arthur Henry Ellenden and John Shand.

In adjourning tho cases sine die the chairman announced that, the board, would consult with tho other military hoards, and also with the Efficiency Board. It' would bo a serious thing to exempt a wholo class, and tho board would not like to do so without giving tho matter very serious consideration. Tho board recognised tho importance of having competent workers on the waterfront, but it was more important to liavo men at tho fighting front, especially on the Western front, at present. The case of William Herbert Preston, waterside worker, wm similarly dealt with, ae were also applications by; Capi tain Jlunro, representing tho Wellington j Harbour Board, in respect to two of the i board's employees—Arthur Luo M'Sheerin j and William John Seddon. I Sine <lio adjournments were made in I the cases of Edward P. At'Kenzio, steward I on a hospital ship; Arthur W. Fitzgibbon, stewurd, Dunedin; Stanley Euecoe, troopship hand. Case of a Farm Manager. James Charles Williamson, working farm manager, Feilding, for whom Jlr. A. B. Jfcek appeared, was described as tho only man working on his father's farm of MM aores at Kiwiten, near Pcildihg. Tho father was unablo to do farm work and had advertised unsuccessfully for farm labourers. 'Ho had one son now on active service. The present reservist was tho only mail' working on iho farm. In tho opinion of Captain Beale, if higher wages were offered than pre-war pay there should ba no great difficulty in ! getting a man. According to Mr. Guy Williams, Mr. Williamson would not lie able to get a. man to do the work require! at the wages he was offering, nanicHy, £V2b with house and cow. The. easo' was adjourned for further consideration. An extension i>f leave until July 17 was granted to Victor J'embcrloii, ninrkdt gardener, TaiUi, lower Ffult, to enable him to harvest his crops. Various Cases, I Arthur Herbert Iveene, Derwent Street, I Island Bay, applied for tbvco months' ! extra leave so that lie could attend an I nviatioii school. An adjournment j granted till July IC, with cxemplioji in ; the meantime. • Leslie Brown, labourer, Wellington, was exempted on his furnishing proof that ho was over age. Tho appeal of Henry Charles Holland, condiment manufacturer, Wellington, inado mi the grounds) of illness in his family, was dismissed. Cla'udo Smith, cabinetmaker, Pelone, wns exempted because ho was under nge. The chairman reminded him that lie was now twenty years of age and was liable to bo called up in tho next ballot. Mr E. P. l.Sunny appeared lor Gunnel' William L. Burn, I'ctono, at home on lenvo after over three years' active service, who was granted lenvo till August 14 to enable him lo transact ceiluin business affairs. Tim board will resume its sittings this morning at 10 o'clock.