ARMED FORCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 2 September 1942, Page 2

ARMED FORCES

APPEAL BOARD FURTHER CASES HEARD IN NELSON The Armed Forces Appeal Board sat in the Supreme Court rooms, Nelson, to-day. The board comprised Messrs G. L. Page (chairman), J. Dicker and L. Ward.

The board heard an appeal by Mrs A. A. Burn (Mr W V Rout) in respect of P. L. Walker, a single man, and E. W. Douglas, a married man, two employees. Reservists were employed as motor bus drivers by appellant. The case had previously come before the board and had been adjourned Since then the aggravation of the transport problems of the country had thrown considerably more usage upon the bus services and the need for careful, efficient and experienced drivers was even greater. Applications had been called for the positions of drivers to replace reservists, but no suitable men had applied. Appellant's son, a Grade 2 man, who was also a driver, was at present in camp and it was suggested that two out of these three men should be retained to maintain the essential service.

The appeal in respect of E. W. Douglas was adjourned sine die, and in respect of P L. Walker was adjourned to allow the board to confer with the Army authorities.

The Director of National Service appealed for two employees of Central Motors Ltd . N. V. Miller and I. G. Bailey, both married men, and both A grade mechanics. The Nelson Manpower Utilisation Committee of the Motor Trade supported the appeal on the grounds of the urgent need for efficient staffing of motor repair services for maintaining, and repairing Army vehicles. E. W. Brundell gave evidence that previously 11 mechanics and five apprentices were employed and at present there were only four mechanics and three apprentices. Two of the apprentices had .become of military age. Evidence was given to show the essential nature of the work being done. The appeal in respect of both reservists was adjourned sine die. An appeal was heard from J. G. Ingram and Co. Ltd. in respect of G. W. Bunker, an employee, who was an applicant for the Air Force and had been accepted The appeal was supported by the Nelson Utilisation Committee of the Motor Trades. Mr J. G. Ingram gave evidence of the amount of work being done by a staff which had now reduced to an absolute minimum. The appeal was adjourned sine die. M*- R. A. Higgins appealed on behalf of an employee K. Griffith. Appellant stated that reservist was employed by him in carting gravel for essential works. An appeal for the same reservist had been adjourned on two previous occasions Appellant, a married man, was also engaged in agricultural contract work with tractors, etc., for farmers in the district and reservist would be used for this type of work when not engaged in fulfilling contracts f«r defence purposes. The appeal was adjourned sine die. An appeal by Kennings Ltd. for an employee, J. L. Cotton, which had previously been adjourned, was heard by the board. Reservist, a married man, was employed as driver of a six-wheel-ed vehicle carting timber for defence purposes over very difficult roads. It was stated in evidence that it would be practically impossible to replace reservist. The work he was engaged in was for an essential industry, and he was working about a ten-hour day. The appeal was adjourned sine die. An appeal was heard from Levin and Co. Lid. in respect of an employee, P. G. Mant, a married man, engaged as a mechanic and fitter in the machinery department. Evidence was given stating that reservist was engaged in servicing and installing engines for agricultural purposes. An additional service to 600 separators in the district had now become necessary through the transfer to the North Island of a Lister separator representative A large instalment of machinery for a lime works was due in the early summer and appellants asked for an adjournment for four months to allow this to be done and to complete farm machine servicing now due. The firm had now only reservist, who was a qualified mechanic and fitter and an experienced Diesel mechanic, and one other employee who was a mechanic. The appeal was adjourned for four months. An appeal by the Director of National Service was heard in respect of F. J. Clemens, an employee and branch manager of Newman Bros. Ltd. at Blenheim. Evidence was given that five members of the firm’s management staff were at present in the armed forces and there was no member on the remaining staff capable of filling the position. In view of the large amount of military transport being arranged through the Blenheim office of the company it was considered particularly important that there should be efficient management there. There was no alternative rail communication between Nelson and Blenheim and a lot of essential work devolved upon the company’s transport services.

The appeal was adjourned for three months.