FINAL SITTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 October 1941, Page 6

FINAL SITTING

4. NO. 4 ARMED FORCES APPEAL BOARD LEGAL PROFESSION PAYS TRIBUTE. 1 NEW BODY TAKING OVER. An opportunity was taken by members of the legal profession in the Wairarapa, at the final session of the No. 4 Armed Forces Appeal Board sit-, ting in Masterton today, to express the profession’s appreciation of the manner in which the board had carried out its duties. The work of the board in this district has been taken over by a board onerating from Napier as from October 1. The No. 4 Armed Forces Board will operate in Wellington. Mr S. R. Gawith, on behalf of the legal profession, said that as the session was the last sitting of the present board in Masterton he would like to express thanks to the gentlemen on the board for the way in which the cases had been handled. “If ever a board tempered justice with mercy, this one’ has done so,” Mr Gawith said. “As members of the profession, and as citizens, we appreciate the difficult tasks facing the board, while at the same time we know that the job has been fully faced up to and well carried out.” Mr Gawith expressed regret that the board was severing its connection with the Wairarapa and paid tribute to the work of the secretary, Mr B. H. Roundhill, for the courteous manner in which he had attended to his duties. “The Crown representative, Mr C. O. Bell, has been absolutely fair to appellants,” said Mr Gawith. “We know that he has had difficult times, especially with conscientious objectors, but he has carried out his work meritoriously and -with great ability.” The chairman, Mr W. F. Stilwell, S.M., in reply, thanked Mr Gawith for his remarks on behalf of Messrs A. Parlane and P. Coyle (members of the board) and himself and Messrs Bell and Roundhill. Mr Stilwell congratulated the legal profession on the way in which the many difficult cases had been presented and efficiently conducted. In conclusion he referred to the team work which had existed between the board and the profession and trusted that the same happy collaboration would be extended to the new board.

The personnel of the newly-consti-tuted board is Messrs H. B. Lusk (chairman), Field, Barry and J. Turnpenny (secretary), all of Napier.