MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1917, Page 6

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

SITTING IN NEW -PLYMOUTH. TARANAKI APPEALS. A sitting of Uio First Wellington Military Service Board was opened in New ■Plymouth yesterday morning. Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., presided, and associated with him were Messrs D. McLaren and G. G. Williams. Captain Orf Walker acted as counsel for the Defence Department. Major E.. P. Cox, Officer Commanding No. 8 (Taranaki) Group was also present. | , UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. Arthur L. Humphries, an N.C.0., of the 27th Reinforcements, applied for temporary exemption for six months under the regulations gazetted on January 16. Appellant said h/f'held a commission in the Territorials some years ago, and IS months ago he applied for a commission with the Expeditionary Forces. It took twelve months for the Defence Department to reply, and they then informed him that his application could not he granted. He was advised to enlist.as an N.C.O. which he did about five months ago. Ho went into camp on January 2 and on January 12 his late partner, Mr. Harry Stcckcr, died. Appellant obtained a month's leave, and had this extended a further fortnight. He now asked for exemption until the end of July, in order to give him an opportunity of appointing a responsible person to look after his interests. He was secretary of the Taranaki Producers' Association, the Royal Oak Cheese Factory, Taranaki Agricultural Society, Equitable Building Society, and was agent for the New Zealand Shipping Company, Blackball Coal (rompany, Canterbury Steamship Company and Commercial Union Insurance Company. He also held a number of smaller secretaryships and agencies. As far as appellant was concerned, he would prefer to be in camp, but he felt that it would be a hardship to the companies he represented if he were called away. He was prepared to go into camp as soon as he couhh get someone to take over the work. Appellant gave particulars showing the work entailed in the ' business, especially that in connection' with the shipment of cheese and butter. To Captain Walker: It had taken [ him up to the present to catch up with the back '.work, and he bad not considered the matter of appointing a successor. Captain Walker said he recognised that this was a rather important business. Under the regulations the Board could only report to the Defence Minister and make certain recommendations. This was the first case of its kind, and a precedent would be established. He suggested that leave until the end of May be recommended, and F.aid that Corporal Humphries could make a- further application for exemption later if he found it necessary.

The Hoard decided to recommend leave until May '2S. A\ T APPELLANT CONGRATULATED. Richard Cordon Whitehead, fanner, Tikorangi I Mr. A. A. Bennett) applied for exemption on the grounds of undue hardship. Counsel said that appellant had two brothers on active service. He was anxious to go into camp, and he would have enlisted before this, hut his father required his assistance on the farm. Counsel asked that one month's leave be granted. The appeal was dismissed, leave being granted until April 1. The chairman congratulated appellant and his family on the spirit they had shown in the matter.

pnORTAGK OF LABO"R. iTnlm Aylward, farmer, Warea (Mr. J. E.- Wilson! appealed on tlie ground of limine hardship. Appellant said lie was 23 reads of age, and lie worked for his -father on a farm of ~>~>o acres. Ninety cows were milked by machinery, and there were 200 head of other eattle and 15 horses on the property. There were also several miles of drains to be attended to. It had been usual to emplov a permanent hand, but this man had enlisted 14 months ago, and appellant had* been unabfo to replace him. His father had offered 12s per day for casual labor, hut had not been able to get it. Appellant's father was not 'trong, and witness did all the heavy work. Witness' nearest Mr. firophy, had five little children. With the assistance of two Maori boys, aged 12 and lfi, he milked 100 cows by machinery. Appellant had no chance of getting assistance from any of his neighbors.

To Captain Walker: He would like to go to the front if he could get someone to take his place. Appellant supposed lie could have gone to the front two years ago. Counsel: The necessity was not realised then as it is now. To Captain Walker: Appellant's father was one of the most wealthy fanners in the district. Captain Walker: A man of your father's wealth could afford to pay £lO per week for labor in order to release a lighting man for the frojit, couldn't he?- T Xo answer. Appellant said he had offered a Maori boy !!0s per week and found, but the boy did not eome| Edward Aylward, father of appellant, said he snllered from sciatica and was sometimes unfit for work. He had made efforts to get labor, but without success. He had offered 14s per day to a man named Charles I'earcc, Warea, but lie would not come, l'earce was working a year ago for witness, ami was then paid !>s per day. Fourteen months ago he paid 'l'~>s per week and found. He was prepared to pay a long way more than that now.

To Captain \Valker: Witness wanted a little time so that appellant might finish the work he had in hanfT. Leave was granted until April 1. LEAVE GRANTED. Public interest and undue hardship were the grounds upon which Edmund George. Morgan, farmer, of Kaimata E. Wilson) appealed. He was milking 40 cows, and had only an old man to assist him. Three men from his farm liatl enlisted. Be was iwiiling to go into camp, and only wanted time.—Leave was granted until April 29. William Penlington Jones, dairy farmer, Kaka road, Okoke, asked for leaveto enable him to finish burning, grassing and fencing on his farm. He owned 030 acres, and on the property and that of his father adjoining were 2000 sheep and 180 cattle. He milked 13 cows. There was 100 acres of fallen bush ready to be burned, grassed! and fenced.— Leave -wag granted untmAjjril 1,

A SICK WIFE. Bernard McSweeney, farm laborer, Toko (Mr. A. 11. Johnstone) asked for leave for three months. He was 2S years of age, and was married ill August, 1815. Last August his wife became very ill, and was not yet in a condition to look after herself. Appellant was considerably in debt.—Decision was reserved until April 1, when the position will be reviewed. IN THE SECOND DIVISION. The appeal of Edgar Thomas Lcodon, driver, Okato, was allowed on the ground that he was in the Second Division. Mr, Fraser, Government Statistician, wrote admitting that appellant was called up in error, bo having been married for over 13 years. TARATA APPEAL DISMISSED. Dugald Paterson, farmer, of Tarata (Mr 11. R. Billing), appealed on the ground of undue hardship. He was 20 years of age. He helped to work a mixed farm of 450 acres. His two unmarried brothers were unable to help. Appellant had no objection to serve, but could not see his way to leave the farm. One married brother milked la cows on a farm a mile away, and he did a certain amount of cropping. Another married brother milked 20 cows on a farm five miles away. Robert Paterson, father of appellant, said the farm was mortgaged. He had tried to sell the store which he conducted in conjunction with the farmer, but without success. A daughter managed the store, and was assisted by her mother. To Captain Walker: Appellant was engaged entirely on the farm. The sou on the farm adjoining could not assist on witness' farm. The sheep had been shorn, and the dipping was required to be done. His daughter co'uM muster sheep. Mr Williams: Down in the Wairarapa the girls muster the sheep and do the dipping. Witness:/ They will have to introduce new ideas into Taranaki before they will do that. The Board: Then they will have to do It, that is all about it.' Mr Williams: Married women with children are doing this work in Wairarapa, The appeal was dismissed, leave being granted till March 4. TWO BROTHERS APPEAL. Albert Ernest Bencfield. dairv farmer. Cardiff, and Thomas Charles Bencfiehl farmer, Koriti, who were called up under clause . 35. appealed on the ground of undue hardship. Albert Ernest had been passed as fit. His brother had, not been medical-boarded. ' j Evidence was given by Albert Ernest that he was 25 years of age, and worked a farm of ISA acres. He had a married brother -partner with him, and between them they milked 4(1 cows and did cropping. Appellant said the property was mortgaged. One man could not work it, and the farm did not produce sufficient to pay a man to take appellant's place. To Captain Walker: Appellant bought the farm last March. Prior to that date he was laboring in the district.

The Board reserved its decision until the first sittings of the Board held in New Plymouth after May 20. appellant to be granted exemption from military service, and to report monthly to the Defence authorities. The case of Thomas Charles Panefield was adjourned until appellant had been medically examined.,

A WAITARA APPEAL. ' Richard Oswald Vernon .Tennins, nn(, Artlms Maitlnnd Aglienby Jermins, farmers, of Waitara West, both appealed, but the latter withdrew his appeal, having been classed C2 by the Medical Board. Mr A. A. Bennett (Roy and Nicholson) appeared for the former, who deposed that he was aged 3-1 and was willing to go to the front, but he had an agricultural farm of 300 acres to attend to. He had put his farm on the market several months ago with the object of enlisting. His brother was physically unfit to work the farm. He put in fifty acres of grain and 20 acres ol turnip?. The farm carried 2i>o sheep, 30 cattle and 17 or IS horses. His wheat was all stacked. He wanted time to complete his threshing, and grass down (he land at present in stubble. Ho I bought that three months would be sufficient. To Captain Walker: He had been on the farm over 20 years, but eighteen months a™o. on the death of his mother, the farm was divided between witnesi and his two brothers. One brother had sold Iris farm and now resided in town, hut had no experience of agricultural work, having milked. Witness worked hard on the farm. He lived in Waitara but went to the farm every day. He had about 1000 bushels of wheat and 250 bushels of oats to thresh. ' Ili-i brother owned a motor car, as also did witness. His brother in town was thinking of enlisting. Captain Walker: Oh. thinking! Continuing, appellant said that he, did all the ploughing for his brother. The appeal was dismissed, leave being granted till April 20. The Board then juijoui::ed until 10 a.m. to-day, when the following cases will be heard:— APPEALS WITHDRAWN.) The appeals of Timothy Folk Ryan, dairy farmer, Okato. James William Ross, farmer. Okoke, Charles Baer. farmer, Tarata, Roland Tooke. farmer, Okato, and Charles Hoslop Barnitt, farmer, tjruti, were formally dismissed, the appellants having been classed CII home service, and having withdrawn their appeals. TO-DAY'S LIST. The names of appellants to be heard to-day by the Board are as follows: Alfred Moore Soiitham, merchant, tailor, Devon street, Now Plymouth. Norman Errol Sampson, store manager. Sentry Ilill. Norman William Perry, saddler, Voweltown. Frederick John Mills, hotelkeeper, Tariki. Adrian P. Marett, farmer, Frankley Road. Thornton Alexander Marett, Frankley road. Sidney John Mackie, farm laborer, Raliegh street, Waitara. Robert Percy Honnor, dairy farmer, Brixton. Adam Findlay, waterside worker, New Plymouth. Norman Kinsolla, Joinery apprentice, Courtenay New Plymouth. John David Easthopc, platelayer, New Plymouth. George William Dolson, farmer, Everett Road, Tnglewood. Ernest Edmond Crool, laborer, New Plymouth. Kenneth Corbett, cheese factory employee, Bell Bio;/. Ingram Alexander Charles Coleon, dairy farmer, Eiteroj

William Charles Bransgrove; motor and cycle dealer and repairer, New Plymouth. | Alfred Edwin Bennett, road worker, Inglewood. Bertram Beam, laborer, Gill street, New Plymouth. Leonard Carter Pearn, waterside worker, New Plymouth. / Edgar Jules Barrett Johns, farmer, Bell Block. C. Hcndricksen, laborer, Bell Block. Thomas Evans, farmer, Waitara. William Arthur Brown, farmer, Te Tawa, Inglewood. Urban Broadmore, farmer, Ngatoro. Inglewood. Walter Fuller, slaughterman. Waitara. George Harvey, laborer Bahotu. WARRANTS AGAINST DEFAULTERS. Wellington, Feb. 19. Steps are now being taken immediately to enforce the Military Service Act against defaulters who have failed to comply with its provisions. The first warrants for offences against the Act have ibeen issued in Wellington to-day, and are now being executed. A similar course will be followed in other districts. Defaulters under the Act are divided into two classes: (1) Those who neglect or refuse to attend the military examination; (2) those who, after being medically examined, neglect or refuse to parade for going into camp. The first class will be arrested and sent to district headquarters for trial by court-martial; the second class will bo arrested and sent in custody to camp, where they will he dealt with. The proceedings at the court-martial will be open to the press. The penalty may vary from two years' hard labor to a reprimand.