FURLOUGH APPEALS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 12, 9 October 1943, Page 4

FURLOUGH APPEALS

Final Decision Stated To Rest With Army

BOARD’S FINDINGS ONLY ' recommendations

(By Telegraph.—Press association.) CHRISTCHURCH, OCTOBER 8. The decisions of the Armed Forces Appeal Boards on appeals by Second N.Z.E.F. furlough men will be merely recommendations to the Director of Mobilization and will not be made public or made known to the appellants. They will be dealt with by boards in the same way as ordinary appeals, but the appellant may, if lie wishes, ask to have the appeal heard in camera. Appeals are lodged not with appeal boards but witli the Director of Mobilization, and they may be on the ground of undue hardship or public interest, though it is obvious that in very few cases could the latter ground be advanced by men' who have been absent for up to four years. Suitable cases are then referred by the director to the appropriate appeal boards for consideration.

All furlough men are now being communicated with by telegram from Army Headquarters and instructed to report for medical examination. Where a man is graded unfit for overseas service his appeal will not be proceeded with. The first few of the Christchurch appeals are now coming to hand from the Director of Mobilization and will probably be dealt with by the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board next week.

[The medical examinations in Wellington have been proceeding for some days.] .