MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1917, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

NEW PLYMOUTH SITTING. A «:tting of tho No. 1 Wellington District .Military Service Hoard (Messrs ]). (• A. Cooper, ,S..M„ chairman, Cur Williams and W. Perry) w:u licld in New Plymouth yesterday. Captain Walker, military representative, and Major X.'ox, oilicer commanding the group, were also present. MINISTERS' APPEALS. The Rev. \Y. A. 'Sinclair. president of tlie New Zealand Mcthodisfc Conference (Mr. A. A. Bennett) appealed on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship in the cases of the following members of the clergy: George Herbert Cole, Paraparaumu ; Joseph Tyson, Mcthven; Charles Pace, Kawa Kawa (home missionaries); George Branford llinton, Waitara (clergyman); and Robt. Ebenezer Fordyee, Taihape (minister). Mr. Bennett apologised for the unavoidable absence of Rev. W. Sinclair, who was attending a meeting at Eltham. The chairman said that further particulars as to the nature of the work being done were required, and the appeals were accordingly deferred t.o the sitting of the. Board at Hawera on December 3.

TRAM CONDUCTOR'S APPEAL. Norman Stanley James, tram conductor, New Plymouth, appealed for three months' leave of absence on all grounds. He had volunteered, but had been twice rejected, and had married in 'December, 101 G. He had ono child. Since being turned down lie had bought a house, and he asked for time to enable 'him to complete the purchase of the property and also to erect a fence and mak» ground (improvements. years ago he I)o\ight a motor car, but had so far been unable to dispose of it. The sale of the car would help him to clear the debt on his house.—Leave, of absence granted till January 15.

A MACHINISTS APPEAL. Mr. P. E. Wilson, who. appeared for Bernard 11. Wildermoth, machinist, New Plymouth, stated that the employer's appeal had been withdrawn and a personal appeal was accordingly being made for leave of absence till the beginning of February. The appellant was the sole support of his widowed mother, and had enlisted previous to being called up. —Leave <fi absence was granted till February 12, when appellant will proceed to the CI camp.

A BRITISH SUBJECT. The adjourned appeal of Frank Schroeder wa? further considered. Mr. Johnstone said the adjournment hail ben made in order that proofs of nationality might be obtained. A birth certificate showed that appellant was born in 1577, and other, papers that his father was not naturalised until 1893, som?' years after his arrival in New Zealand, and when his son was 10 years of age. Mr. Johnstone raised a point of law as to whether the appellant was a British subject or not, 'but the Bench hold that he was. Mr. Johnstone said the appellant had enlisted voluntarily in 1910, but was not then accented. The question now was whether it was advisable that the appellant should proceed to camp, as both his parents were German Poles. Captain Walker, to appellant: Can vou read?

Appellant: Me! Not a line. . Decision was reserved until the matter has been reported to headquarters for consideration.

LEAVE GRANTED. Harry Fletcher, butcher, employed by Mr. A. P. Opensliaw, N<v Plymouth, whose appeal was adjourned from October 19 last, applied for an extension of. leave to enable his employer to obtain a Siiitable man in his stead. —Leave was granted until January S.

A RAHOTU FARMER'S APPEAL. Thomas Leonard Billing, farmer, Rahotu, appealed for exemption on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Mr. E. Marshall (Opunake) conducted the case for appellant. Billing married on December 30, 1915, after having been told by a doctor that lie would not pass for active service. He had one child. Of his five brothers two were at the~Tront, one had been killed, and two, farming in the Rahotu district, were both married men. In 1915 he took a ten years' lease of a farm of 240 acres from his faither, paying a yearly rental of £144, with a reduction of £l4 8s if the amount were paid within 14 days. His stock comprised 48' cow/, a bull, 13 yearlings, 20 calves, and fi horses. Milking machines were installed, 'but portion of the purchase money was still owing. There was also a bill of sale on the cows, in respect of which an instalment was now due, and he had also a fairly large premium due on his life assurance policy. His father-in-law, mother-in-law and three children lived on the same farm, in a different house. His father-in-law was in receipt of the old-age pension, and appellent gave help to the family amounting to between £1 and 30s a week by way of food and provisions. His mother-in-law and a sister-in-law were both mentally deficient. The farm would not pay on a share-milking basis. i

To Captain Walker: One brother had been rejected and had subsequently married. and was at present working a farm of '260 acres leased from his father on the same conditions of lease as his own. and 30 to 35 cows were milked by machine. A second married brother had worked a farm near by without help for 7 or 8 years, milking about 30 cows.

To the chairman: His father-in-law was 72 or 74 years of age, and his mother-in-law 70. The Board reserved its decision sine die, providing the appellant, reported to the group commander on the. last day of each month that his position was unaltered.

DECISION RESERVED. Matthew Day, dairy farmer, Uruti, whose appeal was adjourned from October 10, and on whose case the Efficiency Trustees reported, stated that he was in precisely the same position as when the appeal was last heard.—The Board reserved its decision sine die, with the usual conditions.

Francis Goodwin, farmer. Lepper Road, Tnglewood, appealed on behalf of his son, I.anrenta S,, a member of the 35th Reinforcements. His farm wa.s- 220 acres in area, and at present 3fi cows were being milked by hand, and several more were almost due to come in. Some 24 head of mixed cattle were run on the farm. lie was 52 years of age, and did not enjov good health as ho suffered from a bad leg. One son W' at the front, and the ages of his nine children ran from 25 down. One bov was at the front. The, farm was not sufficiently OTassed, and tho land was overrun with blackberries. He could not afford to nay

for hired help, as the farm did not warrant it. No Jabot was, available in any case. At the present time he. had 2i) acres to plough, and with five acres already ploughed, that would mean the sowing of 25 acres of crops. The country was difficult land to plough, and without the help of his son appellant did not think tiie cropping could. !>:■ carried out. His land was heavily mortgaged.

To Captain Walker: Another son, aged 17, was not at all strong and could do no heavy work.

The appeal was dismissed AN ENGINEER'S CASE. In tho case of Robert Leslie Man-.ler, engineer, Waitara, Mr. H. R. Billing, who appeared for Messrs Borthwick and Sons, stated that Mander had originally lodged a personal appeal, but when the firm notified that they would appeal on his behalf the personal appeal had been withdrawn. John Blair, engineer of works and supervisor of Borthwiek and Sons, meat exporters, gave evidence that Mander was a first-class engineer, in the position of first assistant. It would be a very difficult matter to replace him. Three other "watch" engineers were employed, working in shifts of eight hours, as the machinery was kept working night and day. Two repairing engineers were also employed, but ono had left since the appeal was lodged. Witness gave evidence regarding the duties of the engineering staff, which included, the supervision of the barge loading and the towing of the barges bv launch power. The firm had several times advertised, but could not get the class of experienced men required. The plant at Waitara was the largest in Taranaki, and as both steam and suction gas were used the engineers had to understand both. He had received letters from Wellington and Auckland firms asking him if ho could send them junior engineers from his works. The difficulty of obtaining labor was general. Several engineers iiad already gone, but no appeals were lodged, as it was possible to replaco the men previously. If Mander went to camp and another man could not be found the works could not be run efficiently. To the chairman: Mander was capable of taking over the whole engineering department if necessary. The by-product machinery was quite as important as the refrigerating machinery, for the profits were made from manufacture of byproducts. Mander was a single man, about 27 years of age, and had ken twice rejected. Decision was reserved sine (He. the appellant company to report as required by the Board.

SHEEP FARMER'S APPEAL Arthur Charles Bretherton sheep-far-mer, Toko, appealed on behalf of iris son, Joseph 8., for extension of leave. Appellant held a freehold farm of 1584 nacres, carving IGOI} ewes, 70!) hoggets and about 10170 lambs. There were about 7ft head of mixed cattle on tho farm which he had owned since December last. Previously he had an agricultural farm at WaipaWa and three years ago suffered a severe loss through the failure of 150 acres of wljeat and 70 acres of wheat, no rain falling for 10 months in that district. As a result of his financial position he had exchanged the Waipawa. farm for the property at Toko. The Government valuation of tho latter property was £lO per acre. A statement, showing encumbrances on' the Toko farm was handed to the bench. The only help he had was .that of the son for whom he was appealing. Three other sons were married men away from home. If the appeal was granted he believed he could weather tiie present difficulty. Shearing would begin on Wednesday, and when the clip was completed and the wool 'carted the position 'would he much loss acute.

The appeal was adjourned till February next. A FATHER'S APPEAL.

Edward Wells, farmer, Mangorei, appealed on behalf of his only son, Norman Wells, wlui is at present in camp. He. had a freehold farm of 100 acres on Car.lington road, but when a brother, who managed his mother's farm of 1!)1 acres at Mangorei, was called into camp he put dry stock on his own farm and moved hir. home to the Mangorei farm: Twentyfive cows were milked at the farm, find about 180 ewes and lambs were grazed on his own farm, but occasionally stock was transferred and the two farms were worked together. If his son was called up he would have no help whatever in the heavy work, though his wife an« daughter helped in the milking, He had not previously appealed, for his son because he did not think the appeal would he given any consideration, but when the Defence Minister's statements as to the last man on the land were published he decided to lodge an appeal. Since his son had boon in camp everything had gone back. It meant that he had to manage two farms three miles apart. No recommendation was made, and the appeal was formally dismissed.

A KORU CASK Patrick Raill, dairy farmer at Koru, appealed for his son, Patrick Dwyer Raill, who worked on his freehold farm of 163 acres. He had held the land ior many years, the farm being situated at the foot of the ranges. The land was not very good. About .20 cows were milked. Appellant said his health had not been good lately, and he had practically lost the sight of his eye. He was 66 years of age, and his wife was three years his junior and had been an invalid for four years and was unable to do even light household work. He had two 30ns, one at the front and the boy for whom he was appealing. One' girl at home assisted in the farm work and did the whole of the house work. Another daughter was married. No help could be obtained from any of tho neighbors. He himself had served for 14 or 15 years in tho armed constabulary. To Captain Walker: Probably 30 cows would be milked in the height of the season. He was unable to do any milking himself. The Board reserved its decision sine die with the usual conditions.

A LAW CLERK. ' .Tames Arthur Harding, for whom Mr A. A. Rennett appeared, said he was a law bookkeeper in the employ of Mcssr> Govctt end Qnillinm. He was an unmarried man aged 21. and had been examined and classified 01. Appellant gavo evidence as to the depletion of the office stall'. He supported his widowed mother who was a chronic invalid and had no means of subsistence other tlTan his earnings. A sister residing in Auckland could take care of her but the doctor would not allow her to travel. He paid tho whole of his earnings to his mother regularly.-—-The Board reserved its decision sine die, UNDUE HARDSHIP. Charles Alfred Hiiwker, motor mechanic, Moturoa, appealed on grounds or undue hardship. He did not ask for extension of time but required financial assistance. He was a married man, 23

years of age. and hoipotl to support his aged ialher and mother, Hin parents had applied to the Financial Assistance Board for aid, but no reply had so fa> come to hand. His parents owned two houses. lie was to proceed to camp on January 15, 1018.

The Board stated that a recommendation would be made to the Financial Assistance Hoard, and the. appeal would ly: adjourned pending the decision of that Board. A FARM EMPLOYEE'S POSITION. The adjourned appeal of Joseph Edward Taylor, farm hand. Egmont Village, again came be-fore the Board. Appellant stated that his position was the same as when the appeal was formerly considered.—The Board reserved its decision sine die. OTHER CASES. The appeals of Thomas Pearsc, farmer, Matau, Frederick Oliver Jones, farmer, Koru. and Sydney Roy Lovcll, hairdresser. New Plymouth, were formally dismissed, the appellants having bfclassed C2 by the Medical Board. The appeal of Hans Victor Stuart. Larsen, farmer, Pehu, "was withdrawn. As Claude Jeffries failed to appear his appeal was dismissed. The appeal of Benjamin L. Hamlin, fitter. New Plymouth, was held over till January 2 in order to allow the appellant, who had been classed 82, to be reexamined.