MILITARY EXEMPTION APPEALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1917, Page 2

MILITARY EXEMPTION APPEALS.

HAWERA SITTINGS. Tho Third Wellington Military Service Board resumed its sitting in the Hawera Magistrate's Court on Wednesday; A RELIGIOUS OBJECTOR. Thomas James Edgar Barkla, who conthictcd bin own case, appealed on the ground of religious objections. He said lie was managing a farm for his father in tho hack country of Hawera. Captain Baldwin: Did you receive a notice to attend a medical board?— Yes. Did you attend?— No. Why?— Because I object to any militarv service whatever. The chairman: What is your objection?— Religious objection; I object to war. I think we all do that/ replied the chairman. Captain Baldwin: I understand you are going to defy the military authorities?—l won't carry out any military service. Oh what grounds are you askine for [exemption?—l object to take part in helping to slaughter human beings. Appellant, in the course of further evidence, said he was single, and was managing a rough farm for his father. He had one brother at the war. John Truan Barkla, farmer, who also appealed for his son, said it'would he difficult for him to carry on the farm if the appsy.'vt went into camp. In reply to "'aptain Baldwin, the witness said that he had taken no steps to obtain a manager, because he had found generally that they were not always satisfactory. All managers, however, were not alike. The chairman: What nationality are you?—l aim an Englishman. Mr. Considine: Surely, then you would not like to see England beaten?— Certainly not; but the war was not of ,my making. I am a Quaker, and object to war. . ■ '\ ■ : ■!*;".■ In reply to Captain Baldwin the appellant said lie would hot perform noncombatant service under the military authorities, hut ho was prepared to rentier service in a civil capacity. Captain Baldwin clearly explained that the appellant if he signed n declaration that he would give non-combatant service, he would not be called upon to fight. Appellant: I will not serve under the military authorities in any capacity whatever: I will not servo in the ambulance corps or medical corps. Captain Baldwin: Very well, I am afraid I cannot help you. The appeal was dismissed. A WILLING APPELLANT. The appeal of Walter Herbert Winmill, farmer, Pohokura, for whom Mr. O'Dea appeared, which was previously before the Board, was reconsidered, Mr. O'Dea explained that the appellant had since sold his farm, and was now merely asking for time until August 1 to enable him to hand the farm over to the new owner. In reply to Captain Baldwin, the appellant said July 24 would do very well. The appeal was dismissed, and the :n----pellant was given leave until J.. v ; ti. A HARD CASE. .Frederick William Myers, for wliom Mr. Fookes appeared, appealed on the grounds of undue hardship and public interest. Counsel put in a written statement showing tho appellant's position, who had a mother in poor health to support. Appellant, said Mr. Fookes, was not appealing for himself but simply on account of the mother. Appellant was willing to go to the fiont, and was indeed'quite anxious to serve his country. Appellant went into the witness box and said the statement put iu by Mr. Fookes was covrect. He added that the farm m 21 miles east of Stratford. If the Board said he should go into camp be would cheerfully do so. The appeal was adjourned until August 13, when it ■will ibe reconsidered. . A PACTOEY MANAGER'S APPEAL. Geo. R. Brooking, factory manager, Tututawa, appealed on the ground 'of public interest: There was also 'an'cm. ployer's appeal in this case. Mr. Fookes, who appeared for appellant, who said that he had been a cheeseriiakcr for about 12 years, and went straight to {.hat employment on his return from the South African war. There had been a number of new factories in his district in recent years, and some butter factories had gone into cheese-making, and the position of managers in these factories had been filled.by assistants. So far as he knew his factory had not advertise for a manager/ Captain Baldwin suggested that his place could readily be filled by an assistant, but the appellant asked who, them, was going to fill the assistant's place? Mr. Fookes said that that was the difficulty. It would merely bo a matter of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Appellant had served his country in the South African war and immediately after the outbreak of the present war lie volunteered for service and was still willing to go. He was in the peculiar dual position of being factory -manager and cheese maker eombined, and the Tututawa Dairy Factory directors and secretary, feeling that they could not fill Brooking's place, prevailed upon him to appeal. Mr, Penn, secretary to this company, had written explaining this particular case.

Captain Baldwin did not approve of these letters being considered, Surely out of (he hundreds of assistants in tho country this company could find a man to take Brooking's place, Mr. Fookes stated that if Captain Baldwin could find thiß company a man to take Brooking's place this appeal would be immediately withdrawn. Personally he had every sympathy with the military movement.

Captain Baldwin: Everyone sympathises with tho movement and everyone tries to hang on to their own employees. The chairman of the Tututawa factory also gave evidence. In reply to Captain Baldwin witness said that his company had not advertised for a manager to take Brooking's place because they uere waiting for the Military Service Board to give a decision,- and they hope.l that that decision would be "hen at once, oo that they could then, if necessary, take steps to replace him. The Board dismissed the appeal, leave being granted till July 2Ji, to enable the company to arrange to fill appellant's place. A FARMERS' APPEAL. Thomas Deane, aged 22, dairy farmer, Inaha. appealed on the ground of undue

hardship. Mr. Powell appeared for appellant, who said that he was in partnership with S. Bemish in a 94-acre leasehold farm for which they paid £272 a year rent. They had no assistance on the farm and appellant's mother was entirely dependent on lain, as well as an orphan niece of eight years. Ho had no objection to going to camp, but would . like time till the end of July to arrange his affairs. To Captain Baldwin: Their butter-fat cheque last year was £1163 Bs, as the product of 58 cows, and the pigs may have realised another £IOO. When he went into camp they would probably arrange for a man to work under the direction of his partner. The appeal was dismissed, with leave till July 24. ANOTHER CHEESE FACTORY MANAGER'S APPEAL. John Cook, cheese factory manager, Te Popo, Midhirst, who appealed at the request of the suppliers, said that he was quite free and anxious to do whatever the Board thought best. This was an employer's appeal, and, appellant was not married nor had he anyone dependent upon him. He was the only employee in this co-operative factory, which had eight suppliers. The actingchairman of the company, Malcolm Knox, in reply to the chairman of the Board, said that his company had not advertised for a man to take Cook's place. The Midhirst factory had a large creamery four miles away. The (Te Popo factory iwas originally under the Midhirst company, as .a creamery, but they cloEed down saying the supply from the 300 cows there 3id not pay them to continue, and it was not therefore likely that they would, re-open it. It would not be practicable'for them to. cart their milk to the large creamery four miles away. One of the other factory director* said that their manager was in an exceptional position; they had 1 a lot of initial expenses and they could not get another man to fill his place. If he went away it would; probably mean closing up the , factory and this would mean ruination . to some of them. This was a peculiar job, and a badly paid one. Captain Baldwin considered that this | , should not be a badly paid job. The sup- , pliers were getting Is 6d for their but-ter-fat; they paid out roughly £2800; . there should not, therefore, be 'badly [ paid men in concerns of that sort. Mi*. Considine remarked that if fac- , tories could not now pay good wages to their men he Vlid not know whenever , they would be able to do so. , The appeal was dismissed, leave being . allowed till July 24. v , EXTENSION* OF TIME ASKED FOB. Thomas Lynch, dairy farmer, Matapu, asked for an extension of time till the end of July. He did not ask for exemption. Captain Baldwin was agreeable, and leave was grafted till July 24. ■ r Edward Watt Garmonsway, contractor, Rowan, asked for time to dispose <■ of his horse teams. Horses were ver,y i low' in price just now, and he would* ask [ for time till about August, when they ) would bring better prices. He had six draught horse?, 'wMl? work for them to . do during the winter, but with the . present price of oats and chaff people . were not anxious to keep horses through , the winter. Leave was granted till July 24, and if the horses were then unsold, the Board recommended that Garmonsway 1 be granted a few days extra to dispose ! of them . x ' The appeals of Augustine M. Coyne, farmer, Makaku, and Francis F. Daniels, ' baker, Stratford, were withdrawn. • FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WANTED. Mr. G. D. Gow appeared in support , of the appeal of Robert >!ecil Evelyn ! Shuttleworth, cheesemaker, Nga.ere, ! Mr. Gow said the appellant, who was the only son, was really appealing for . financial assistance, and he gave details of the assistance required. The I .appellant desired assistance financially I so" as to help support his parents, The t parents had no objection to the appellant going on active service. Mr. Gow explained that, unfortumite]y, the regulations did not provide for t*e assistance which the ajpellant sought for. The Board considered ,the appeal, and ; subsequently it was intimated to the press by the secretary of the Board that the appeal had been dismissed, , appellant being granted leave until August -20. "A BLANK CHEQUE." Leonard Mark Walker,, dairy farmer, Tuna, aefced for exemption until. August to enable him to fix up things'on the farm before the beginning of the new season. Hq said he was farming 300 acres, on which he was milking DO cows. ■The land belonged to his father. For the past six months he had been the only assistant on the., farm. He had fences to repair, general farm work to sec to, and he had to arrange fpr someone to milk the cows. Pressed by the military, representative, appellant was unable; to give exact particulars of the work to be done before the next 5ea50n....... Captain Baldwin,: Ypii are asking the Board to take a blank cheque for something you are going.', to do. I don't think that this in satisfactory. The chairman: You-have no idea what yen aie going to dp yj'sk the .00 cows?— No, we have not.decided anything yet, The chairman:. ,of the Board is tliat.thqf.a.ppeal should,'be dismissed and t'ha|, ,Tcave be gijaited! until July 2*. ~., 1( , ' . :.'■.':,;.•',' v EMPLOYER'S ' APPEAL DiafifsJs>. • The employer's'"appeal itt';respeol(fof: Alfred Noel BroWn,'.'..'cheoseinakcr,7iKa* puni, which has been 1 before thc.ißoard previously, was dismissed, there beingho appearance of Brown or of the appellant company. ■ ■'. v ■ • ..■ , ■,,., ; "'. • The appeal of Raymond 'Saywell, dairy: farmer, Kaupokonui, for whom Miv Spratt appeared, was adjourned until August 21, appellant having been, boarded 82, necessitating a further examination. APPEALS WITHDRAWN. The following appeals were withdrawn, appellants having been medically boarded, unlit for active service: D. R. Might, farmer, Kohuratahi jC2); H. J. Marchant, dairy farmer,' Cardiff (C2); W. A. Davison, baker, Otakeho (C2); W. F. Loekley, contractor, Te Kiri (C2); J. W. H. Frederic, engineer, Stratford (C2); G. Robertson, contractor, Kohuratahi (C2); A. M. Covne, farmer, Makahu CD); F. F. Daniels, baker, Stratford (C2).—Star.