MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1916, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

SITTIXG AT HAWERA. FAMILY SIIIRKKES' CLAUSP The Wellington Military Service- Board sat at Hawera yesterday and dealt with a number of appeals preferred by reservist-, most of whom lmd been jailed up for active service, unrtci Clause 3,> (yii Family .Shirker-' Clause) of the Military .Service Act. Mr. 1"). A. Cooper, N.M., presided, and other members of the Hoard were .Mr. 11 McLaren and Mr, W. Perry. Captain On- Walker conducted the ease* for the Defence Department, and Major h. ]>. Cox, officer commanding No. Mfaranaki) group was also present. Iheie was a large attendance in court, consisting chiefly of young men whose appeals would be heard during the Board's sitting at Hawera. A reservist, Jeremiah Joseph King («). wlio was caught in the ballot and was also called up under Clause 35, asked for exemption on the ground of occupation and hardship. Appellant said he was a dairy fanner working an area of 100 acres of leasehold at Awatuna. He milked 20 cows, and was assisted by an old man who did general work about the place. The chairman: How old is thij ma-i' Appellant:' Forty-eight, i The chairman: You don't call him old, do you?

ilr. McLaren: Why, lie ij onlv - youngster. (Laughtei.) Proceeding, appellant said lie hart spent all his money on his place, and was desirous of making the most of his opportunities. He had built a home 011 the place, and intended to get married shortly.. Appellant said he did well 011 the farm last year, hut this year's returns had shown decrease. Captain Wulker: Who is your landlord ? Appellant: My mother,, Mrs. 11. Kin". To Captain Walker: He had leased the area for £lB per acre, and he had 110 doubt the area was now worth £3O per acrp -_ Tilt COWS were now worth £B, but in winter thov would be worth £lO. He would not se'li them for £B. Appellant gave details of the property and stock he owned.

Captain Walker: Have you ever eon templated going to the war.

Appellant: Yes; last year I seriously thought of going, and had I contemplated being single all my life, I would have gone.

Mr. McLaren: You don't think the war is going to last all your life, do you? Captain A .llker read a letter which appellant had iiidressed to the commandant of the military forces, in which he informed the commandant that he was engaged in building a house with a view to getting married. At the time of filling iir his registration card he was informed by a man, coming from Holland, who was well up in conscription matters, that farm and business owners would be about the last men to be called up. He acted on this information and regulated his affairs accordingly. Appellant wrote that it would be nothing short of tragic if he were called up at the present time, although in twelve months' time it would not be so bad. A "TRAGIC COMEDY." Tll answer to Captain Walker, appellant endorsed the expressions he had used in the letter. u A tragic comedy,'' Captain Walker remarked. Appellant said he had endeavored to get farm assistance without success. He said lie believed in conscription. At a pinch he had no doubt he could sell the cows, 01 least the farm ti a suitable man to work it in his absence. He had to look after his own interests.

Questions put by Mr. Perry adduced the evidence that .the farm was not a highly pay in" proposition, and that the appellant could earn as much by going to the front. Appellant was examined as to his prospects and as to the practicability of bis future brother-in-law looking aftei his place. Captain Walker: Are you a selfish man ? Appellant:. I leave that to someone else to say. Captain Walker: What do you think yourself? Appellant did not answer. Captain Walker: Would you like to know what I think? The, chairman indicated that bo did not want the question pressed, and there was no answer. Mr. McLaren: What is your weight ? Appellant: Fourteen stone. "Mr. McLaren: Are von not ashamed to think that men of 10 stone are fighting for you? Appellant: I don't Bet that weight matters. Mr. MeLarep: Are you not ashamed to think that striplings are fighting for yon ? Appellant: I am willing to do something when the position becomes really serious. Mr. McLaren: Do you realise bow long ilie war has beer going oil Appellant: Yes. Mr. McLaren: Do you realise how serious the stnirele is? Appellant: Yes. Mr. McLaren: You seriously thought 01 going to the war last year? Appellant: Yes. Mr. McLaren: You also seriously thought of getting married? Appellant: Yes.

Mr. McLaren: Which did you think of more seriously? Appellant; I don't know. About equal, I think. Captain Walker: And you hav. done neither. Xlr. McLaren: Do you read the newspapers and take an interest in things? Appellant: Yes. How many soldiers have left New Zealand?— About 70,000, I believe. They were not all single, were thej 1 know a large number were married. And many left wives and children behind ? —Yes. And farms and businesses in many instances? —i know- some in our district left farms. Don't you think scriouslj that ;t Is your duty to do something?— Yes, I reckon I should do what I can. I think it is equally important tc keep ,thc farms and industries going. How many married men do you think should go before you go?—I was leading that to the organisation of conscription; 1' was waiting lor my turn. Captain Walker: Well, your turn has come. Appellant: If we couhl get people to work on our farms it would be all right. BOARD UNSYMPATHETIC. The chairman: The. appeal is dismissed. Captain Walker will arrange ; leave for you until January 31. Appellant went away, and after a few minutes' absence he returned and asked the Board to consider giving liiin ?• ivrUvwf H# raid it i

would ho a "Hardship if lie. had to sell out. The chairman suggested that he should lease the property, get his mother to work it, or get a man to look after it for him. The appellant pressed his application, and the chairman informed him that the Board did not feel verv sympathetic towards him. His application for further time was refused. NOT A RESERVIST. jniin Joseph Call ill, who was called up in the ballot, appealed on the ground I hat lie was not a reservist, being over age. Appellant said he was 471 years of age, being born in Victoria on .June 1, He was unable to produce a birth certificate, but he handed in a document from an insurance company certifying to his ago. Captain Walker said he did not louht appellant, s» story. In this ease, he said, there "was a considerabh difference between the age limit and appellant's age, but he considered as a matter ot principle .t,l)at cases of a like character should be adjourned until the birth certificate was produced. He had no questions to ask. The Board allowed the appeal, on the ground that appellant was .iver age, and consequently not a reservist. TWO CASKS ADJOURNED

Oeorg? Pickering and Joseph John Pickering, dairy farmers, of Hawera, who had been called up for service under Clause 35 of the Military Service Act, appealed, (leorge Pickering's appeal was based on the ground of undue hardship, and that of his brother on the grounds of physical unfitness. It was explained that the latter had failed to present himself at the medical examination. Sir. P. O'Dea, who appeared for appellants, said the two brothers were engaged on a farm of 70 acres, on which they milked 41 cows. Joseph John Pickering was prepared to go into camp on March Ml, when the bulk of the work on the farm would be done. (Jeorge Pickering did not receive his notice to appear at ;he medical examination until three weeks after the due date. It was pretty certain he would be turned down, tie could be examined that evening. Captain Walker said he was agreeable to arrange that time be allowed to Joseph John Pickering.

At counsel's instance the two ea3CS were adjourned until this morning, TWO BROTHERS CONSCRIPTED. The ease of John Francis King, aged '24, whose two brothers had unsuccessfully appealed against being called up. was adjourned sine die, the appellant l;o take his chance in the ballot. Mr. O'Dea said appellant assisted his mother 011 a large farm on which Go cows were milked. MEDICALLY UNFIT, Walter Carroll, blacksmith, Okaiawa, Arthur Carroll, dairy fanner, Okaiawa, and John O'Grady, laborer, who had been called up under Clause 35, wore exempted from a-ctive service 011 the recommendation of the Medical Board, who had examined . them and found theui medically unfit. The Board will sit at Hawera again this morning.