On This Day, 14 March 1918

Birmingham Daily Post

Thursday 14 March 1918

BEFORE THE TRIBUNALS

WARWICKSHIRE CASES

At the Warwickshire Appeal Tribunal in Birmingham yesterday the temporary exemption of combed-out miner was appealed against by the National Service representative. The miner is 34 years of age, a married man with six children, and had been passed for general service. Answering Captain Sydenham, he said was a miner before the war, and contended that he was engaged in important national work. The appeal of the National Service representative was allowed.

The temporary exemption until June 21 granted by the local tribunal to a farmer and haulage contractor was appealed against. The man said he was contractor to a large firm engaged on munition work, hauling coal, material, and munitions. Without assistance he also worked a farm of 15 acres of arable land and five acres grass, having ten young beasts and seven pigs.

A representative of the firm in question spoke of the importance of the haulage work, and said that if the tribunal allowed the appeal his firm would still apply to the Ministry of Munitions for a protection certificate for the man.

Sir Michael Dakin said the appeal would be allowed.

IMPORTANCE OF SOOT

AN appeal was made on behalf of a soot carter, aged 25, passed for Grade 2. It was stated that he was before the Local Tribunal on May 4, 1916, and was granted absolute exemption, but on the application of the National Service representative the case was reviewed, and temporary exemption until April, final, was granted. The appellant was engaged by his father, who had eleven children—seven boys—five of whom were in the Army, and four girls. The soot was collected from 130 sweeps in Birmingham and the district by the appellant and his father.

The tribunal dismissed the appeal.