BALLOT APPEALS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 235, 22 June 1918, Page 9

BALLOT APPEALS

PROCEEDINGS IN WELLINGTON CASES FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS The First Wellington Military Kwvice Board sat in Wellington yesterday and heard iimiiy appeals, including a number from Government Departments. Mr. D. Q. A. Cooper, S.M., presided, and had with him Mr. W. Perry and 11 r. D. Jl'Lareii. Tito board reserved its decision in tho canes of'three'officers for whom appeals were mado by tho Department of. Imperial Stipplies-G. C. Smith, assistant accountant; L. C. Mitchell, clerk; and D. Rutherford, chief accountant.

Customs Official. The Controller of the Customs Department, Mr. \V. B. Montgomery, asked i'oi tho" exemption of Frank C. J. Funthnm, examining officer, Christchurcli. He stated that at tho beginning of the war there were 58 examining officers in tho Department; now thero wero only Xi. There was only ono single man in (he clerical division, who had been exempted from military service, lie tvaf willing to go, but had been oxcmp'ed because he hiid three or four already at the front. The board aliowal sine die exemption to Fantham, and alsc to If. \V. Williams, examining officer, Dmiedin, and W. 11. Fisher, examining officer, Auckland. Tho Justice Department appealed on behalf of three Stipendiary Magistrates, Wyvern Wilson, Auckland; E. l>. Moseley, Thames; and E. Page, Auckland. Mr. AV. Gollen, chief clerk, stated that tho magistracy wa3 below normal strength owing to tho employment tl seven Magistrates on military service boards. Several Magistrates wove r.ow covering enlarged districts. Tho board adjourned, the cases sine die. On tho application of the Jnstice Department, sine die exemption was_granted to Frederick G. Boon and Donald Thomson, prisou warders, and John Down, officer in charge of the Waikeria Reformatory, To AwamiHu. Teachers' Appeals. . Tho Education Department appealed for John B. Aatall, Native fichool teacher, at present stationed at Poriwora, near East Cape. The Assistant-Director of Education (Mr. J. Caughley) said that Department had not appealed for teachers in tho past; and over 700 had siitered the forces. The Native school teachers required special qualifications, and Mr. Astall. could not bo replaced. The board adjourned tho caso sino die. 'J'he Wellington Education Board appealed for Horace E. Fisher, teacher, Marlborough. Tho secretary of the board (Mr. G. Stewart) said the shortage of teachers had reached an acuto stago. Fisher was 1-1 years of age. The case was adjourned sine die; Milk Vendor, James Patrick Patterson, Miramar, milk vendor (Mr. A. S. Gill) appealed on the ground of public interest. He was a single man, and had taken over tho business of his brother-in-law, at present in camp. His mother and his married sister, who had two children, lived with him. Ho had enlisted about ;i year ago, and had been rejected. He had then been a shipwright, but had subsequently taken charge of his brother-in-law's business. He had been examined three times, and was lit present classed CI. Members of tho family assisted in milking about eighty cows. He. employed a man and a boy. He could iiot get experienced assistuuee, and believed the business would have to 'bo given up if ho went into icaiup. The board dismissed the appeal, and allowed leave until September. "The Last Man." Rodger Clarence Turnbull, Forty-third Reinforcements (Mr. I' , . Ward), applied for extended leave on tho ground that ho was "tho last nmu on a farm." Jlo was married and held 10,000 acres leasehold in , the Southland bade country. Tho place carried -1000 sheep and SO head of cattle. His father, who had been his partner, had retired about three and a half years ago. His father's iige wus 77. Ho had two brothers, one farming SO miles from appellant's place, and the oilier labouring. This brother, who hen been in camp, could not /manage the farm. The father was in ill-health, and could not return to the Imck country. Appellant had tried to get a. manager, but two men had refused to slay after seeing tho place. There wus nobody on the farm now, and if he stayed in camp he must sell out. He had appealed before an Olago Military Service Board, but ut that timo he had a manager in view. The man proved unsuitablo. The board -postponed further hearing until next silting. Postal Department. The Secretory of the l'osl nnd Telegraph Department appealed for Gcorgo .Nelson, dead-letter clerk, Wellington; LiithiT Hill, clerk, Wellington; John iMaddcu, examiner, Wellington; A. H. Campbell, Wellington; Albert X. Chapman, Christchurcli; and J. L. Davies, radio operator, Awanui. ' It was stated in evidence that Nelson had charge of a staff of 22, consisting of one returned soldier, a cadet, a messenger, and 10 women, who lacked experience. All available "understudies" had tntered the forces. Nelson had been in the service twenty years. Luther was a member of the superintending stall', with control of 11,300 officers. This staff arranged all promotions and transfers. It contained 22 persons, including four returned soldiers, seven women, and four hoye.'. The stair" had lost 13 men during the war, although five years' training was normally required for staff divieuin work. The present stall' was not fully experienced. Madden was on examiner in the accountants' branch, with 17 years' service in his present office The accountants' branch contained 111 persons, of whom 79 were women. Only 17 of tho men had been there a I the beginning of the war. Madden was assistant controller of a branch in which the work was highly specialised. Campbell was.assistant telegraph engineer at Christchurcli. Ho was a highly skilled officer who was. carrying on with a depleted staff. Chapman was a telegraph exchange mechanician, with thirteen years' experience. Ho had highly technical knowledge and had charge of « staff of about fifteen men, Davies was officer in charge of the Radio station at \wanui. He was at present out of the "country on naval duty. All these men were married. The board reserved its decision sine die in these cases.' i A Munitions Officer. Tho Munitions Department appealed for David Marlcham, merchandise buyer, who had. been classed CI after being three times previously rejected. ' Markhain hud been with tho Department for nine months, and had previously been employed by tho Director of Supplies and Transport. The Department had selected its officers from men regarded as incligiblo and was now making its first appeal. It asked for time to train another man. The hoard adjourned tho case until October. Slaughtermen. The secretary of tho Slaughtermen's Union (Mr. M. J. Reardon) appealed for John Henry Taylor (Hastings), and Thomas Morton (Hastings), both slaughtermen. The board granted sine die exemption on the usiinl conditions. Marine Department. The Marino Department appealed for A. V. Pearce, lighthousclcocper; C. L. Aysnu, manager of salmon hatchery; and V. .T. Wallin, assistant-lishthousckeepor. i'ciirco had fourteen years' service, and was at present in charge of tho Somes Island lighthouse. There was a shortage of lightliuusekeepers. Ayson was a fishery, expert nt present enpiiigt'd in the collection of salmon ova. The Department wan stocking various rivers and the work could not proceed without skilled direction. The Department nsked thai Ayson should be exempted until the end of the season in September. Tho board adjourned Ayeon's caso for medical examination, and reserved it« decision in the other cases sine die. Public Trust Office. The Public Trustee a pealed for Franl Charltori, Wellington; Hugh Mulliollnnd ;

■Wellington; Edward James O'Brien, Napier; Henry Wiliiam Pearee, Wellington; and Alliin Marshall/ Wellington. The chairman of the bonrd mentioned tlmt Charlion and O'Bi-ien had written to the board objecting to the appeals made for them.. The Assistant Public Trustee (Mr. T. Roniildson) said (hat Cliarlton could be replaced in three months. The other men were essential. The Public Trust Uiiice had advertised all over New Zealand for suitable men, aud had offered largo salaries, but without success. Loiiglhy training was essential, and much of the work that had lo bo done was highly technical; Tho ollicc was already worjung under great difficulties owing to tho loss of experienced m;n. An excessive amount of night work and overtime was unavoidable. The work of tho otticc was growing rapidly, and now men were required, in addition to replacements. The board reserved its decision sine die in the cases of Mulholland, 0 Brten, Pcarce, and Marshall. Oharltoi was given leave until September.

Soldier's Appeal. Private G. 0. Browne, E Company, Forty-first Reinforcements, asked for leave until one of his brothers returned from the front. He had two brothers serving in the New Zealand Forcesi one at sea and one, aged 11 years, with Ins mother, who was a widow. The two brothers in the Army had both been wounded. Two sisters were at home, one ot these earning her own living. The brothers had each allotted the mother 3s. a day. Appellant vas married, but had been in the lmbit of assisting his mother. He had not appealed previously because he had expected one of his wounded brothers to return. The board made no recommendation.