RESERVISTS' APPEALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1917, Page 6

RESERVISTS' APPEALS.

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD. The sitting of the No. 1 Wellington Military Service Board (Messrs. D. 0. A. Cooper chairman, I). McLaren and Guy Williams) wag continued in New Plymouth yesterday, Captain Walker representing the military authorities and Lieut. Crutch the Group officer, ( A URENUI CASE. Samuel Alex Managh, farmer, Urenui (Mr. Bennett), deposed that he was aged 31, married with one child. He farmed 500 acres and carried 800 mixed sheep, 80 mixed cattle and 15 dairy cows which were milked by hand. He had held the farm for six years. When he bought it •the property was infested with fern and weeds but had greatly improved. The farm needed a lot of attention. His onlv assistant was'a boy of 10. His father farmed 1050 acres in the Rangitikei district. He only had the help of two lads as his only single brother was going into camp in December. Appellant's two married brothers were also farming, Appellant had not enlisted because he considered he was of more service to the country where he was. He was classed CI and three years ago met "with an accident to his back. Mr. McLaren pointed out that appellant would have to go into camp some time, and suggested that it would be better for him to test it now in the CI camp. Witness said he would have to sell the farm. Mr. McLaren suggested that he should get some one to look after it till he had proved whether he would be able to stand training. Others had done this. Appellant stated that labor was hard to get though he admitted he had made no efforts in the direction indicated, as he assumed that he would not be passed fit owing to the injury to his back. Decision was reserved. A CHEESE FACTORY APPEAL. The" next appeal was that of the Patua Dairy Company (Mr. J. H. Quilliam) who appealed for exemption on behalf of their manager, James Hugh Harvey. | J?. W. Garner, secretary of the compart}'- deposed that the company ha 3 25 suppliers and last year produced about 250 tons of cheese and 10 of whey butter. The manaeer had been in their employ IB months. The other employees were a butter maker and three lads under 18 years. T.ast year, in addition, thev had two skilled assistants. When Harvey •was first employed 23 applications were received, four recommended by the Dairy Division, were considered, three beine married men who declined the position•Practically the whole of the outnut had been first grade and no milk had been rejected. The minimum number of skilled hands required was three and at present the manager and butter maker were working from 4 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and as the season advanced would have to work till probably 10 p.m. Enauires had been made by the directors and witness with the obiect of replacing appellant. The» had advertised in the local papers and received three applicants who were not deemed suitable. They were at present 'employed in the dairy industry. Other companies were short of "managers. He had observed seven advertisements in the papers later. Since the appeal was nut in the butter maker had notified he would pot be remaining after the season, so that in April they would not be able to revert to butter. To permit Mr. Harvev to attend, some of the directors had to do the work with, lie was afraid, disastrous results. If the appeal were not allowed the factory would have to make butter for a few months. Captain Walker stated appellant was upwards of forty. Decision was reserved sine die. providing fhe secretary of tlietomnanv reports monthly to the group commander that . Harvey is still in his present position.

AN OKATO CASE. Robert Bradlaugh Whitehead. farmei>. Okato (Mr Johnstone), deposed that h<> was aged 20 and worked on his father's farm of 35fiV. acres and milked up to no cows by machines. His father and mother were both over 00. He had three brothers, two being married, and one aged IS who assisted with the milking. He had married sisters and one single in Wellington. The farm was two and a-half miles from n factory on an unmetalled roni*. and the milk usually had to be sledsed rf. jnile. and. as a result it took two and a-falf hours to go to the factory. About 80' to 100 acres were still in bush. Thev to get in about 20 acres of crop. His father eould pot do mufh work. His neighbors (Messrs Juke and Corbett) could not assist him.

To Cant. Walker: His brother was a weak, delicate lad. To the chairman: The clause religious objection was left in in error. Decision was reserved. RESERVED DECISIONS. Decision was given in the following eases dealt with the previous dav: John Ambrose Heskett. metallurgist. New Plymouth (employer's appeal) and Wm. Jas. Contes. farmer, Lowgarth. decisions reserved sine die, subject to the usual conations. G. W. Dobson, farmer, Inglewood appeal dismissed, leave being granted until December 12. 1 ■ After the luncheon adjournment- the following reserved decisions were siven: S. A. Mansgh, farmer, Urenui. and Robert R. Whitehead, farmer, Okato'. reserved sine die. R. James. Tariki—Adjourned till next sitting of the board for further enquiry. „ _ Fred Joseph Greeilivay. farmer, l'urtiho. Villerov H. E. Amyes. farmer. Kaimatfl. was not present, aitd the appeal was ffdjourned till to-day.

| WITHDRAWN AND DISMISSED. In the following cases, appellants having been medically boarded C2, the appeals were withdrawn and formally dismissed: Robert Henry Jones, road contractor, Uruti. Wilfred Marshall, farmer. Inglewood. Charles Alfred Etfans, electrical en. gineer. New Plymouth. Archibald .Tames Thompson, blacksmith. Urenui. Francis Willcox, dairv farmer, Rahotu. Herbert William Jackson, coach builder. Urenui (employer's appeal). Lawrence Edward Victor Billing, farmer. Rahotu. William H. Aburn, contractor, New Plymouth. Clyde Gordon 'Penwarden. engineer, New Plymnntlr,~claesed fit. withdrew his appeal\ which was formally dismissed. Josepli Francis Duschenski. farmer. Miro. classed fit, also withdrew his appeal which was dismissed. The case of Fred Oliver Jones, farmer. 1 Horn, who had not been medically exf*miaad. feaa adiouraed till jMXi, sitting.

Paul Willoox, dairy farmer, Raliotu, withdrew his appeal, leave being granted to November 13. A RAHOTU APPEAL. James Morrow, farmer, Raliotu, appealed on thfe grounds of undue hardship and public interest. He deposed that lie was aged 20 and worked on his mother's farm, where 00 cows were milked by machine. They also carried 30 'head of dry stock, 50 sheep, and 20 horses. On the farm there was a brother (who had been turned down after three months), four sisters, and a boy of 14. His sisters milked and he managed the farm. His brother George did nothing, being delicate. He was here, there, and everywhere. To Captain Walker: Appellant required leave until February to get over the mjlking. , The appeal was dismissed, leave being granted until February 11. A SINE DIE CASE. Tom Wilson Long, farmer, Tariki (Mr. Johnstone), aged 31 and married, appealed on the ground of public interest and undue hardship. He was managing his mother's farm of 00 acres, freehold, milking 20 cows by hand. He was assisted by his sister, his only brother being at the front. Appellant had four depending on him, and the farm was his sole means of livelihood. He ploughed 15 to 20 acres annually and kept a pedigree bull, which required ci'jeful handling. Decision was reserved sine die. A NGATORO CASE. 'Harold Broadmore, dairy farmer, Ngatoro (Mr. F. E. Wilson), deposed that lie would be 40 shortly. His mother, aged 7J>, lived with appellant. He 'had five brothers. Cyril (aged 41) was married, with seven children, and milked 22 cows on 101 acres opposite appellant's farm. This brother had a son of 17 assisting, but the brother stated that he could not help appellant. Another married brother milked 24 cows on >l2 acres three miles away. A single brother was at the front with *the 26th Reinforcements. Another married brother left with the 19th Reinforcements, whilst the other was employed in Nefr Plymouth. Witness was in partnership with the brother at the front and looked after three farms—one of 120 acres, grazing; another half a mile away, 105 acres, on which they milked 41 cows by machine. On this firm he had the assistance of a married man, aged <SO. The third farm, of 99 acres, was two miles away, and carried young dairy heifers. At present they were running 50 head of young stock, 41 dairy cows in milk, two pedigree Hoistein bulls, 20 pedigree sheep, and four horses. Appellant went to the factory himself.

To Captain Walker: He and his brother owned a; motor car, but lie did not use a pint of benzine on pleasure, and only used about eight cases on business in the year. Decision was reserved.

BUTTER FACTORY APPEAL. Tikorangi Dairy Company (Mr. Bennett) appealed on behalf of John I William garner, factory manager at | Tikorangi. Charles Foreman, chairman of directors, deposed that when calling for applicants they received 24, all but three being unsuitable. They selected Mr. Garner because he had enlisted twice, been drawn in the ballot and classed C2, and had been previously butter-maker for them for four years. He then got married, which was practically a condition of the appointment. Decision was held over until other cases had been held at Hawera. ) A SHARP WARNING. Robert James, farm laborer. Tariki (Mr A. H. Johnstone), appealed on the ground of undue hardship and public interest. He was aged 25, single, lived on his father's farm, and milked 35 cows by hand. His father was able to assist. He had four brothers married; two were milking for farmers, one was milking 23 cows on 80 acres, and anoimcr was at the front. Appellant was classed CI, and did all the work on his father's farm. He could get no help in the district, over flu men having gone from the Tariki district.

To Captain Walker: Appellant had worked on the farm since he left school. He had not discussed the question of his brother, Reginald, who lived opposite, looking after the two places. He thought his brother had too much work. He considered he should go before his married brother who lived opposite. He did not see why his brother should not have a ground of appeal.

Captain Walker was questioning witness, with the object of showing that the brother with 23 cows would be as well off with the allowances granted for the front, which appellant doubted. Captain Walker asked him what his brother made off each cow. Witness did not know. Captain Walker asked how he could make any comparison. Appellant said he judged bv his own cows. Captain Walker: What do your cows produce ? Appellant: It's not my place to tell you. The chairman: Yes, it is. You won't go back to your farm for a month ot two if you are not careful. Later the chairman admonished witness to hehave himself, adding: "I gave you one warning. I won't give you another. Stand up straight-" Mr. Johnstone deprecated appellant's attitude, which, he stated, was due to inexperience. The chairman: His inexperience is no reason why he should be cheeky to counsel. Witness stated that he could not tell whether brother would be better off or not, He did not consider that his brother should go t9 the war first. He had to obtain assistance to enable him to get away that morning. To Mr. McLaren: Appellant hafl never volunteered. Robert James. Snr., gave evidence that lie would be unable to manage, and would have to sell out if appellant was taken. To Captain Walker: He had not asked his son whether he could assist. He had nevef considered the question of machines. as he did not believe in them. Mr. Johnstone pointed out that Tariki district had a record that would be hard to beat anywhere, and he instances the flamblyn family. He pointed out that a good deal depended on the circumstances in which the reservist was placed John Hucker deposed that labor was unprocurable. Milking was not the main point: it was the running about and other essential work that was the difficulty. Reginald was a hard worker, and in six years had broken in all but' a few acres. Another son was filling the gap of a man who had gone to the front. To Mr. Williams: With machines, all the cows could be milked in one shed. He added there were many cases in which the herds of two or three adjoining neighbors could be milked in the one shed. Decision was reserv^

CASE OF A CHIEF ASSISTANT. Jas. Geo. Arnold, eheesemaker, Onaero, intimated that the North Taranaki Dairy Company was appealing for him. *Thos. Buchanan, secretary of the company, stated that they were not appealing from choice, but from necessity. Appellant had been employed fourteen months ago to replace a man who had gone to the front. Appellant having been classed C2, the company engaged him for the season, but he was now classed A. They had two applications in response to an advertisement, one being from a neighboring factory. He submitted a circular showing that the position was becoming so acute that factories were offering inducements to men to leave other factories, with the result that at a meeting of employers it was decided to discontinue this. Decision was reserved pending cases to be heard in Hawera. A GOOD RECORD. Reginald John Marsh, farmer, Egmont Village (Mr. Johnstone) deposed that he was looking after a farm of 180 acres, owned by his mother and his brother, A. P. Marsh, who had gone to the front. Another brother, aged 35, was married and farming on Durham road, baring taken over a farm from a reservist who had gone to the front. Another brother, Harold, had returned from the front, suffering from shell shock., and was now in Auckland. Appellant would inilk 50 cows with the assistance of a boy of 18. Appellant had previously enlisted, and was turned down C2, but was now CI. Decision was reserved sine die. A WAREA APPEAL. Edward Olave Julian, dairy farmer, Warea (Mr. A. H. Johnstone) deposed that he was aged 31 and married. He was farming on 259 acres, half owned by his father, aged 05 and h'alf by his brother Ray, who was now a corporal in the reinforcements. Witness had been rejected twice, and was now classed CI. Decision was reserved sine die. A MILKING MACHINE EXPERT. Messrs J. B. McEwan and Co. (Mr. A. H. Johnstone) appealed on behalf of W. H. Luscombe, a milking machine expert. Mr. David Dickie, director of the J. B. McEwan Co., Ltd., considered that it was essential that experts should be retained to look after the machines, as with so many farmers' sons going to the war, farmers would not have the capable labor to look after the machines, nor the available labor to milk by hand if the machines were not attended to. To Captain Walker: Appellant was the last First Division man in their employ, save seven who had been turned down. If Luscombe went they would have to classify their work. The appeal was dismissed, leave being granted until February 5. TWO BROTHERS INI FRANCE. Joseph Edward Taylor, farmer, Kaimiro, deposed that he assisted his brother on a farm of 112 acres, milking 22 cows. Appellant's two brothers were in France, both having volunteered. Appellant had also volunteered and been turned down. He was now classes CI. He had two young sisters. Decision was reserved. A KAIMIRO APPEAL. Hugh Wishart Paterson, dairy farmer, Kaimiro, deposed that he was aged 27, single, and managed a farm of 141% acres for his mother. 'He milked 23 cows and carried 20 head of young cattle. Appellant did all the work, being assisted with the milking by his mother and sister. One brother, a miner, was to go into camp to-day. Another married brother was sawmilling at Manunui. Decision waa 'reserved. THE LAS! SON.

Patrick Byrne, farmer, Raliotu (Mr. A. H. Johnstone), appealed on the grounds of undue hardship and public interest. His father deposed that he was farming 355 acres six miles from Raliotu, and was milking <SO cows. Appellant was his only assistant. His only brother had been taken ill at Featherston camp and died there over twelve months ago.

Mr. Johnstone submitted that this was a case in which the section regarding the only surviving son might apply. Captain Walker raised an objection. The board adjourned the case sine die.