MILITARY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1916, Page 8

MILITARY SERVICE.

}'■?! APPEAL BOARD. | ■ FIRST CASES IK TARANAKI. T Tiie first silting of tlic Military service Appeal Board was held in liawera on Saturday morning; to '|,ear appeal.-, other t'han on the ground of physical unfitness, from men who have him called upon under section 33 to' shniv cause why tliey should not bc called up for service." The Board consisted of Messrs. D. (J. A. Cooper, S.M, (chairman), W. 'l'erry (Masterton), D McLaren (Wellington). Captain Walker represented tha military authorities. Major Co:;, group coninuuit'..:-, was also in attendance. • The first appeals heard were those of Eden Fergus McNeil and Doagkw Stewart McNeil, brothers, residing" at Uawera. Mr. P. O'Dea, who appeared fo'r the appellants, said the appellants were two of four brothers. They had a mother and two sisters Who "were partially dependent upon them. They hail bought a little section in town for their mother and sisters, and were bearing practically the whole of the financial t sopnsibility. In addition, they ee.;,; gave £1 a week to their mother aim sisters. One of t'be remaining' two brothers Was in camp, while the othe: was at the front. The appellants were working in the choose industry, boiiijr employed by the liawera Dairy Company. lie thought this was a ca.-e 1:1 which an adjournment might be allowed Captain Walker said this v.-as a case in which the appellants could he granted a concession, and be would suggi-at that in the meanwhile the appellants should be freed from military service. Both appellants wtic liable i„ bi drawn in the ballot, arid if t'hey w;'v drawn they could lodge appeals, wluii an adjournment could be consented i. as in the present case. Mr. O'Dea sngge»ttd that the period of adjournment be six months, to enable the appellants to get over the milking season. Captain Walker said he thought live Months would be sufficient, as when the men were called lip they would be given fourteen days to arrange their private affairs, which would bring the period up to nearly six months. Mr. O'Dea: Very well; five months will do.

In rcpiy to tlic Court, Eden JJeXoil rtated that he was 2S years of age, and Douglas McNeil said lie was '2B years Ilia brother in camp was 30 year 3, and the one at the front was 21 years. Mr. McLaren: The youngest brother is at the front?— Yes. Mr. O'Dea remarked lhat the family could not be regarded as a shirking family. The Chairman said the" Court were not making any reflections, lint were only admiring the spirit of the younger brother. The Board granted the appellants nn adjournment of live months, and also granted each suspension from military service during that period. The next case taken was that ot Harold Walker and Ernest Edmund Walker. The former was 22 year; of age, and the latiwr 2S. The elder appellant said that their occupation was dairy farming at Ohnngai. There were two farms, one of 12" acres and one of 123 acres, both leasehold; the first was for one year fron. July 1, and the second lor live year.-', with two years yet to run. Theie was no purchasing clause in either but in the case of the hitter there wa. i.lic right of .a renewal at a valuation to be fixed. They had a four-cow plant milking machine for SO cows, and the two brothers worked the farms. There was no labor employed, and they 'had very little assistance from their father, who was now 00 years of age. The property and stock were in their father's name, ] who received all moneys aiul paid all accounts. He suffered from rheiimatism, and was unable to do much work about tha farm, excepting insignificant job 9, and even then it took him a long time to do it. The mother was 58 or 53 years of age, and had been a sufferer for many yesrs. Appellants said it was impossible at present to procure labor to ca'rry on their work, nor- could they afford to pay for it at present. If they could be exempted for five or six months, one, or both, of t'hem would be quite willing to enlist. The dairy season would then be'over, and tlicy hoped to be in a position by that time to make proper arrangements to cany on the farm. In reply to Captain Walker, appellants said they had another brother farming on his own account, and milking about 50 cows. Their other married brothers were farming on their own account, but they were short-handed, and could not give their father any assistance. In reply to Mr. McLaren, appellant; said there were seven brothers, .ill told. Keither of the two appellants, nor any in the family, had made any attempt to enlist. Their financial position wid circumstances had made it impossible for them to do so up to Ihe p;?sent. They had made many efforts to secure labor from men not eligible for military service, and, although tliey had offered up to as high as per week, they liad not been able to secure assistance. Their father v.vs quite agreeable for them to go to th„- front, but J/ they did it would mean a great hsiuship on their parents, who wouid then have to sell up. Captain Walker suggested to the appellants that one of them could go into camp at once, and that the other brother, together with 1113 father, could carry on the farm. The younger appellant did not agree with this. He felt he would like to go into camp, and realised that it was his duty to do so, but it would be impossible for cne brother and their father, in his present state of health, to carry on the work. William Paterson, Patea, appealed cn the ground of oc;:upation and hardship. Appellant, 011 oath, said that he was the only son at home to work hi; father's s'heep farm, which consisted SCO acres. His father was 81 years of

age, and was unable to work the farm himself. His mother was also a.t home, and lie had an invalided sister in the hospital. Appellant had been unable to procure "labor, and in the event of his going to the front he did not think the farm would stand a manager. In reply to Captain Walker, appellant said ho got his keep and a. few shillings to spend out of the farm. The farm ivl/i about Ml) 0 ewes and lambs, with a few dry sheep—(lo or TO—and also about •10 of SO head of cattle. The net profits last year amounted to between £3OO and JMOD. Captain Walker: Don't you think then, the farm touhl ali'ord a manager? —X'o. The Chairman: Don't you think you couh! get a, manager for this small place ?—:\'o. Have you ever applied to the Agricultural Department? They would probably know of somebody.—No, I never thought of that. In reply to Mr. McLaren, appellant stated that he was 3!) years of age. He had always been anxious to enlist, but when he mentioned this to tlio parents, they said they did not think they could do without him, and so he had not proceeded further in the matter. He had never made inquiries to see if he could get anyone to take his place on the farm. ' James PaWson also appealed on the ground of occupation and hardship. Appellant said that he was years, and a saddler at Tatea' He had acquired, the business twelve years ago, on which there was a mortgage, and which he was paying off. He had lio one to take charge of the business, as saddlers were hard to get, and if be closed up it would inconvenience farmers. He had tried unsuccessfully to get apprentices. Ho had an assistant, who was aged between 50 and 00 years, who was a competent tradesman, but, being deaf, was unable to attend to the business side. The.re was one other saddler at Paten. Appellant's stock would be valued lit JLSOO, and his profits last year were approximately £«0. In reply to Captain Walker, appellant admitted that there were probably many people who bad made greater sacrifice than perhaps he would be called upon t.i make if lie vent to the front. The Hoard then adjourned until 10 o'clock on Monday morning.—Star.