MILITARY APPEALS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9793, 17 October 1917, Page 3

MILITARY APPEALS

FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARDS INDICATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICY ESSENTIAL. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, October 16. Mr J. S. Evans, S.M., chairman of tho First Canterbury Military Sen-ice Board, was interviewed to-day regarding tho statements made at Hawera by the Chairman and members of tho First Wellington Military Service Board with respect to the Government’s memorandum concerning the depletion ■ of skilled lunu workers and the policy to be followed with regard to production. Ho said: “I cannot quit© understand the attitude taken up by the First Wellington Board as reported by the press telegram. My board has from time to time been notified with regard to th© policy of tho Government on national industries. This, in my opinion, is not only necessary to enable the boards to discharge their duties under the Act,' but I have on more than one occasion, asked for a statement of Government policy on national industries. “In my opinion the functions of tho boards under tho Act are two-fold. One ground of appeal is that by reason of Ills occupation the calling up of a reservist tor military service is contrary to the public interest, and another is that by reason of his domestic circumstances, or any other matters, the calling up of the reservist is a cause of undue hardship to the man or his dependents. On the former ground the board has to consider Ithe interests of the country, apart altogether from any question of personal hardship to the appellant himself., On the second ground the board has to consider only the question of hardship to appellant himself, or his dependents. My board would strongly resent political interference in individual appeals made on the second ground referred to,' but there is, in my opinion, • wide difference between political interference in individual cases and a declaration of Government policy in respect of the interests of the country. In my opinion tho military service boards cannot rightly exercise their judicial functions in determining appeals on grounds of public policy unless they know what that policy is. “The Government is responsible for that policy to the same extent as it is responsible for the carrying on of the country’s share of the war. The only way the boards can discharge their duties under the Act is to be kept informed of tho Government policy with regard to essential industries. I do not look on Ministerial notifications of Government policy on essential industries as any interference with the independence of the Hoards, but, on the contrary, I consider such notifications essential to the proper discharge of their functions where the appeal is made on the grounds that the calling-up of the reservists is against tae public interests.”