MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1917, Page 6

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

NEW PLYMOUTH SITTINGS, The sittings of the First Wellington ■Military Service Board in New Plymouth were continued -vesterdav before Mr. D. G. S. Cooper, S.M. (chairman), J). McLaren, and Guy C. Williams.

HOME SERVICE. The appeals of the following men were cither dismissed or withdrawn, they being classed as CI I (fit for home service only):--Kaliui Eatoek, farm assistant, 'Eahotu; Harold Reeve, laborer, Inglawood; Frank Duckett, milker. Norfolk road, Miro; William Edward 'Dockrill, boot importer, New 'Plymouth. Andrew B. Wisnewski, dairy" farmer,' Tataraimaka; Walter Leslie Hale, farme manager, Lower Mangorei; Harry Langdon Sole, insurance clerk, New Plymouth.

The appeal of Thomas Ernest West, ■boot repairer, New Plymouth, classed as D, was dismissed.

The appeal of John Donnelly, farmer and blacksmith, Okato, classed as 811. was adjourned till the first sitting of the Board after August 14.

ADJOURNED. The appeal on behalf of William Smallwood Fencott, ploughman, Tongaporutu, by his employers, heard on the previous day, was adjourned till the first sitting of the iboard after August 1. to see what the position would then be.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS. William Arthur Brown, farmer, 'Te Tawa, Inglewood,; whose appeal had fljeen partly heard and then adjourned for particulars as to appellant' 3 financial position, gave further evidence. The appeal was dismissed and leave granted till November 13, the Board not being able to see its way to grant financial assistance.

TIME WANTED; Archibald Thomas McEwan, dairy farmer, Piakau, Inglewood, for whom Mr. A. H. Johnstone appeared, asked for exemption till September 18. Mr. Johnv ston said the position was that tne appellant's brother, A. W. McEwan, who was before the board on Wednesday, would exercise a general supervision of appellant's farm along with those of two other brothers. A manager had 'been engaged for appellant's farm, tat he would not he able to enter upon his duties till September I. Appeal dismissed, leave granted till September 18.

George L. C. 'Paddison (Mr. J. E. Wilson, farmer, Bell Block, asked for time in order to clear off some arrears of farm work. He could get squared up by September 18.—Leave granted till September 18. Henry James Blanchett, farmer,-New Plymouth, asked for further time, stating that since his case had been previously heard and adjourned he had unsuccessfully endeavored to obtain help and now his place was on the market. He did not think he could fix up under two months.—Leave granted till August 21.

Claude Leighton. master cabinetmaker, asked for time to put a manager in his dismissed, leave granted till September 18.

AGRICULTURAL DIRECTOR'S APPEAL. An appeal on behalf of Hpctor diaries Johnson, instructor of agriculture, Hawera, was made by Mr. E. A. Browne, director of agricultural instruction, under the Taranaki Education Board. Mr. Browne, in,evidence, stated that he simply asked for leave for Mr. Johnson till a successor was appointed. Applications had iheen invited hy advertisement and the appointment would be made at the meeting of the Education Board on the 24th of this month, applications closing on the ■previous Saturday. Enquiries had already been received" and it was certain an appointment would foe made. The successful applicant would have to give a month's notice to liia present employers, which was the reason that an application for leave was necessary.

In answer to Captain Walker, he said there were twelve boys at the technical college in New Plymouth who could plough and about three at Hawera. Their ages ranged from 15 to 17. The boys at the Stratford High School were not trained in ploughing, there not being sufficient time, but were thoroughly trained in shearing. After a fortnight's training average boys could put in six hours a day shearing and' do from 30 to 45 sheep, exceptional tt!>ys probaibly (50. Appeal dismissed, leave granted till September 18.

A FATHER'S APPEAL. John Charles G. Brcreton, farm laborer, Dudley road, Inglewood, was appealed for by his father jMr. John Brereton, on the ground of undue hardship. Mr. A. H. Johnstone appeared for the appellant. Mr. Brereton, in evidence, stated that he was over 70 years of age. His farm was 03 acres in extent and he had bad it ten years. He gave £IOOO for it. His wife was over GO years of age, and not able to do anything. He. had only the one son. the subject of the appeal,, wlio was 2fl years old. He had a daughter about 24 who could only milk about fiv? or six cows. If she tried to do more she was knocked up. He could not say what he would get for his farm if it was forced into the market, but one opposite his, a better farm, had been sold for under £2O an acre. If his boy were taken he would probably have to sell because he could not do any work, and the pla?e would not run the employment of I help. ■ Evidence to, the same effect was given by the son, and he was cross-examined by Captain Walker as to the likeffliood of assistance being given by neighbors in carrying on the farm. Captain Walker: If the position were the other way about and you were left behind would you not assist a neighbor who was fighting at'the front? Witness: I might do a little, but that's different from managing a farm.

Mr. Williams said the 'board had knowledge of a case in which fourteen farms were being managed by four men, and were of opinion that more co-opera-tion of this nature should be urged and arranged by the Efficiency Board. The chairman said this hoard had been preaching moro co-operation for months past, but only in some districts had there been satisfactory Tesults. Jn the present case .the Efficiency Board had reported that nothing could be don*. Further hearing adjourned till first sitting of board in August.

AHEN PABENTAGE. Michael Kulinski, farmer, JKaimata, for whom, Mr. A. H. Johnstone appeared,

appealed on the ground that he had been dismissed from camp after enlistment with the 19th Reinforcements. No reason -was given for his dismissal, but he believed it was because his father was a German (Pole.

Mr. McLaren asked Captain Walker, as representative of the Defeneo Department what the policy of the Government was with regard to such cases.

Captain Walker said so far as the military authorities were concerned the position was that if the auppeal in this case was dismissed the group commander would not recommend that the man he taken into camp. The question raised was one for the Government and not for the military authorities. - Mr. McLaren said it was high time the Government feed some definite policy with regard to such cases. At present the hoard was in an awkward position and when appeals of this kind were jnade could only hang them up. Appeal adjourned sine die.

DISMISSED. The following appeals were dismissed, there being no appearance of appellants: —Arthur James Hawkins, baker, New Plymouth. Ernest TJlric Coombe, (farm hand, Oaonui. The board then adjourned to sit at Hawera on Monday.