EAGER TO ENTER ARMY

Southland Times, Issue 24886, 28 October 1942, Page 4

EAGER TO ENTER ARMY

Railwaymen Object To Appeals

Several railway men for whom appeals were made by the . Railways Department at the sitting of the Southland Armed Forces Appeal Board in Invercargill yesterday strongly objected to the appeals and said that they wished to join the armed forces now that their turn had come.

The chairman of the board, Mr E. H. Murney, said that the board appreciated the attitude of the men, but he hoped that if the board decided that the appeals of the department should be allowed the men would loyally continue to do their duty. All the men gave an assurance to this effect. “As far as I am concerned I am only a casual hand on the railways,” said one reservist. “I joined the service in 1925 and was put off in 1931 because of the depression. I rejoined in 1934. If there were another depression I might be put off again, so I do not see why I cannot be spared for the war.” The reservist said he was senior iron machinist at the Invercargill railway workshops, but there was another man in the shops who, in his opinion, could do the work quite as well, though he might be a bit slower. He had two brothers prisoners of war and another was ready to go overseas. Now that his turn had come he thought he ought to go also. He was strongly opposed to the appeal. SYSTEM OF APPEALS “I have a certain knowledge of mechanics and I think that in these days of mechanized warfare I would be of some use in the Army,” the reservist added. “The whole system of appeals is wrong. Married men with eight children are in the Army while single men are at home in what are called essential industries.” Mr J. W. Hinchey, secretary of the board: If every man ran the war as he thought it ought to be run we would have the Japs here in no time. In reply to a question from Mr Hinchey about why the reservist had not been put on the permanent staff of the railways, Mr G. S. J. Read, assistant locomotive engineer, Dunedin, said he did not know the reason, but an application by the reservist to be put on the permanent staff would be sympathetically considered. . The reservist said he had applied in 1934 to be put on the permanent staff and had been told he must wait his turn. , , , ~ Mr Murney said that- the board would consider the plea of the reservist, but he hoped that if the board decided that the reservist could best serve his country on the railways he would carry on. , The reservist: I will, but I hope the decision will be the other way. Mr Murney: We appreciate very much the sentiments you have expresssed. Decision in all the cases was reserved.