MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1917, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

NEW PLYMOUTH SITTING®. The sittings of the First Wellington Military Service Board in New flymouth were resumed yesterday, before Messrs D. G. A. Cooper,' S.M. (chairman), D. McLaren, and Guy C. Williams. Captain Walker represented the Defence Department. METHODIST CHURCH APPEALS.

The Methodist Church Conference, through their president, appealed for exemption for the Rev. A. M. Costain, of Remuera (Auckland), and Mr. A. A. Bennett appeared in support. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair, president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, gave evidence to the effect that the appellant was resident in Remuera, Auckland, and was engaged ih circuit work in that district. The New Zealand Methodist Church had 82 ministers of military age. Of these, 28 were already engaged in military work, eight of them chaplains, two were in camp, and six on active service. In addition, the church had six chaplains over military age on active service. Twenty of the church's ministers were in the ranks either as combatants or engaged in ambulance work, and in addition there were twenty home missionaries on active service. Of tha 92 ministers of military age, 37 were in the first division, and of that 37, 25 'were engaged in military service, either as chaplains or in the ranks. That left twelve ministers of military age in the Dominion, and to witness' own knowledge four nt the in had enlisted and had been turned down as medically unfit. The church had at presen. 21 vacant positions. Some of the churches had been closed of necessity, and in other districts they were being carried on iby lay supply. Of the church's single men, 7i> per cent, were at present engaged in military service of some kind. Witness wished to say that in this case the Rev. A. M. Costain was not appealing. He was anxious to Berve, as were all the others : but the Church Conference had decided to appeal owing to the position with regard to supply. Mr* Costain was one of three ministers who bad six charges to take care of in a large suburban district, practically the whole of Auckland east. The church had had to close its theological college in Auckland, and the principal was now supplying one of these three places. Mr. Costain was fbetiwe.cn 26 and M years of age. He had enlisted about two TO'-.rt ago in Canterbury, but was turned down. To the chairman: All the students had gone. Since the war began some appointments to charges had been mode, of course. A large number of lay preachers had also been appointed. No other church in New Zealand had the same record with regard to the war as had the one witness represented. With regard to' single men going first, there had been a long and heated discussion at the conference, and a strong minority were in favor of that procedure. The vote, however, Was that all should be treated alike, and he was there to represent the official decision of the conference. Personally, he thought every single man should go before married men were called upon. The church had done all it possibly could; it had only 12 3ingle ministers left, and some were holding charges in widely Mattered districts where elderly men could not go. The board decided to adjourn the appeal sine die, provided the president of the Methodist Conference reports at the end of August and <at the end of each succeeding month to the group commander of Croup No.' 1, Auckland, that the reservist is still In the same position. In an appeal iby the Methodist Church on behalf of the Rev. Charles Hubert Kendon, engaged in circuit work in the Poverty Bay district, the same evidence was accepted and the same decision given by the board, with the exception that in this case the president's monthly report should be made to the group commander of Group No. 17. Mr Sinclair stated that Mr. Kendon was extremely anxious to serve, but the conference had decided to appeal for his exemption.

HOME SEBiVIOE. The appeals of the following men were dismissed, they having 'been classes CS (home service)':—Arthur Norman Morey, motor driver, New Ply mouth; Martin McFetridge, farmer, Waitoriki; Daniel Moroncy, dairy farmer, Raliotu; George Robertson, cheesemaker, Oaonui; Percy George Parker, chee3emaker, Rahotu; Thomas MnrphY, laborer, Egmont Village; George William Rowe, farmer, Sentry Hill; John Joseph McAulcy, dairy farmer, Koru.

ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY. In the case of VHliam Smallgotd Foncott, ploughman, Te Kawau, Tongaporutu, adjourned from a .previous sitting, his employers appealed for his exemption on the ground that he was engaged In an essential industry. Mr. J. E. Wilson appeared for the appellants. Evidence was given fey W. Dorset (manager of the Te Kawau station) and E. R. Battley (manager of Piri Piri station and supervisor of Te Kawau), I to the effect that Fencott's services were essential to the 'Work on the two stations, and that it was impossible to find a-single man capable of taking his place. A married man would not he suitable, because there was no accommodation and the nearest school was eight miles a-way. Mr. Battley stated that at Piri Piri ! there were three shepherds (two boys I ami a man whd had been turned down), a deaf and dumb Maori who did roueeabcut work, and a man who was waiting to be called up. There were about 9000 sheep and over TOO head of cattle on the two properties. He detailed the duties he required Fencott to perform. Captain Walker: Would it be a serious loss to Uie country if Fencott ha<l to go. Witness: Well, I don't know how eve could replace him. I don't know where I could put my hand on a stood practical man suitable for the position. Tu Captain Walker: Hud advertised for a man many a time, the last occasion being about ten montlis ago. i The Board reserved decision.

UXiDER AGE. Hoy Scrivener, bootmaker, New Plymouth, appealed on the ground of bem? under age. He produced a birth certificate showing that he would foe 20 on October 22, and stated that he would be willing to go then.—Appeal allowed. ONLY TIME WANTED. In Ihe appeal of James Herbert Luke, farm manager. Lepperton, Mr. A. A. Bennett explained that all he wanted was time to arrange matters in connection with the farm he was managing for Ms mother—After the appellant had*

given evidence, the appeal was dismissed and leavo granted till September 18. Harold Bridgeman, Tariki, applied for turn owing to domestic circumstances.-"* Appeal dismissed; leave granted till September 18. Percy Carrington Maiie, Tataraimaka, asked for an extension of leave in order to make domestic arrangements.—Granted till August 31. Charles Clifford Gates (fireman, Spotswood) and Russell Ho% (farmer, Bell Block) only asked for a lilt!* longer time, and agreed to accept leave till the end of the month. STRUCK OUT. There was no appearance of Francis William Brawn, farmer, Lepperton, and his appeal was struck out.

ADJOURNED. The appeal of Ernest Charles Locke, laiborer. Dorset Road, was adjourned for a month, owing to the appellant being in the hospital suffering tfrom acute pleurisy. The appeal of Charles Benry Ihleim, farmer, Tarata, was adjourned sine die, his parents being of German birth. In the appeal of John Davidson, farm laborer, Ivapuni (adjourned from Haweral evidence was given by P. G. Knight, and the case was further adjourned to Hawera. The hoard then Tose till 10 a.m. today, TO-DAYS APPEALS, The following appeals have been set down for to-day. McEwen, Archibald Thomas, dairy farmer, Piakau, Inglewood. Leighton, Claude, master cabinetmaker, New Plymouth. Brereton, John Charles G., farm laborer, Dudley Road, Inglewood, Hawkins, Arthur James, baker, New Plymouth. Batock, Kahui, farm assistant, Eahotu (employer's appeal) Reeve, Harold, laborer, Inglewood. Duckett, Frank, milker, Norfolk Road, Miro. Donnelly, John, farrier and black-

fjmith, Okato. Doekrill, William Ed., boot importer, New Plymouth. Wisnewski, Andrew 8., dairy farmer, Tataraimaka. Kuklinski, Michael, farmer, Kaimata. Hale, Walter Leslie, farm manager, Lower Mangorei (employer's appeal) . Johnson, Hector Charles, instructor in agriculture, Hawera (employer's appeal) Paddison, George L. C, farmer, Bell Block. Sole, Harry Langdon, insurance clerk, New Plymouth. West, Thomas Ernest, boot repairer, New Plymouth. Blanchett, Harry Jameß, farmer, New Plymouth. Coombe, Ernest Ulric, farm hand, Oaonui.

HAWERA APPEALS. The Board sat on Tuesday. Frederick Earl Cleland, sheep and cattle, farmer, Hurimoana, appealed on the ground of public interest and undue hardship. The appellant, who was represented hy Mr. Colman, gave evidence as' to the hardship that would result in his being called upon to go into camp. The Board reserved its decision until September 1, when the appeal will be reviewed. . The Pihama Dairy Company (Mr. (Spratt) appealed on the grounds of public interest in respect of Theopohilus Renton, chcesemakcr. Mr. Spratt said he understood a report had been sent in by the heal o.ficiency trustees to the Efficiency Eoaui in regard to the dairying position Ik Taranaki. He presumed the Board had seen the report. The chairman replied that hL Board had not seen the report referred to by , Mr. Spratt. Mr. Spratt pointed out that the appeal was lodged by the company beeatnk. the appellant was indispensable to the company. The company had three factories, and the appellant was the working manager of one of these fattortes. Captain Walker mentioned that the previous Board sitting in Hawcra dismissed the appeal of a cheese manager, who was a married man, and Was i' right that the appellant, a singii; man, should be exempted? Alexander Eraser Neiison, the genera' manager of the Pihama Dairy Company, deposed that the company had three factories, with a total output of approximately OOCKtons. The appellant was employed as working manager of the central factory, which made cheese, comprising six vats, with an approximate output of 300' tons and upwards.. The Board adjourned the case until Monday next to enable counsel to obtain a copy of the Truseec's report as to the dairying "osition in Taranaki. The appeals of Charlie Hodg-\ farmer, Hurleyville, and William Higgins, farmer, Waitotara, who did not appear, &cre dismissed. The following appeatj Were ei titer withdrawn or formally dismissed appellants having been boarded C'i:--J. Hull, Lowgarth, P. Coats, Te Wtra, P. Farnester, Mangamingi, 0. Cro«, Opunake, .T. M. Bolger, Tvapo.'.ija. The appeal of J. D. Pmwn. Matapii, a class D man, was formally dismissed. The Board adjourned until Monday nextt.