Abergavenny Chronicle

OLDCASTLE FARMER'S SON CHARGE OF UNDUE PRESSURE. CHANGING ATTITUDE TOWARDS AGRI- CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS. The Abergavenny Rural 1 tribunal had a ,? I about 40 cams. T I. ''ii-lajority of these were cither tenant farmer. farmers' sons, or the only men on farms, atui ir. most cases the Trihumu Lad no option but to grant conditional cr a long period cf exemption. Mr. Robert Johnson presided, and there were also present Messrs. jolin Frichard, Morgan W.David, John Lewis, John Baynalll, iwillini, with i-Ir. Gower Andrews (military representative) and tx Mr. Tcsepli Griffiths (a^r:ltiiral representative). Fifteen Gona from Coldbraok. j «• I 1 .if j.\ I Sir Arthur Herbert applied on neuan or unct I men and said that 15 had tlreativ, --One from Coidbrook and another one was called up The first was his farm bailiff and foreman, who had two men under him and had 400 acres to look I after. 70 of which v. :r • arable. There were 325 saietp, 70 cattle, and eight horses. The second man was the shepherd and cowman and general fctoekman, who was m sole charge of 450 acres, mosth of mountain land. Mr.' John Baynasr. Do you keep any breed- ing ewes there ? Sir Arthur Herber* No. the altitude is t< o l'igh to keep sheep i'cre the whole of the year round Mr. Bavnam of us have got to do it. The Tribunal granted exemption in each of these cases conditional on the men remaining in their present employment. Sir Arthur Herbert also applied for his stud fcroom, who, he said, was the only u:m at- the stable^ and had 19 horses to look after, 14 horses of which belonged to the Monmouthshire Hunt. Six men had gone from the stables, and this was j the only one 1 .■?* I o_- had (lone all he could to keep up the K-nt, but he had not opposed any of the men going. He had lost the Whip of the Hunt. The Chairman I should be very pleased for you to kill some of the roxes. I have lost about 30 lambs. I The Clerk said that grooms were not in a certified occupation, except in Scotland. Six months' exemption was granted. Asylum Attendants Temporarily Exempted. I Dr. N. R. Phillip. Medical Supt. of the I Asylum, applied ot; behalf of a number of attendants and other employes. The Clerk read a letter from the Board of Control recommend^ some for exemption and giving the names of others for whom they (lid not see their way to make any recommendation. The Clerk said these applications were not made on the ground that the men were em- ployed in a certifies occupation, as the Board of Control assumed, but that it was expedient in the national interest that they should remain in the employment in v hich they were habitualh- engaged. Dr. Phillips aid had asked for exemptions all through ou the understanding that if he could replace the men he would. Mr. Prichard Have you replaced any ? Dr. Phillips We are constantly replacing them. We are four short to-day, and there are four others who are liable to be called up to any time. Mr. Gower Andre.. They went, but they have come bach. Dr. Phillips Ye:- they tried to join the Navy and they have been back. Mr. Gower Andrew., They are in the Naval Reserve. Mr. Morgan Dave 1 You are liable to 1 it- eight men short? Dr. Phillips Yes. In the case of eight attendants, two months' exemption was granted. Dr. Phillips also applied for the clerk of stores. who has charge of the issuing of stores for 1800 patients and officers* and keeps the books. Mr. Gower Andrews Could you replace him by an older man ? « Dr. Phillips No.. Mr. Gower Andrews suggested that it was not difficult to get a storekeeper. This man was 1:0 different to the storekeeper of any business firm. Dr. Phillips said ti, had to work under Local Government Board auditors, and the books had to be kept very carefully. There were a lot of technicalities, and he would not appeal if he did tiot feel that the man was rl}indispei1sabk, 1 Six months' exemption was granted. Brewery Manager's Claim. I I Messrs. Chas. hxlv:v.r :s Brewery Co., Uianioist. ¡ applied for their manager and secretary, and were represented by Mr J. B. Walford. The Advisory Committee did not assent to the claim. Mr. Walford said that, so far as the directors were concerned, it was not a case of bluff when he said that without the manager it would be impossible to keep the brewery open, and he need not say that that would entail hardship on everyone who had money in the concern. The manager had to make up the accounts for the year and it was not likely that the audit would be completed for a couple of months. When he came there Mr. Smith was appointed indoor manager, but since the war. owing to the loss of other employes, including the managing direc- tor's son, he had had to fulfil various functions. He not only had to do the work of secretary, but had to superintend every department, which he had not to do before the employes were reduced in number. In August. IOIA, there were 14 men and two boys employed. Six of them had enlisted, and the number now employed was nine men and two boys. At the present moment it was impossible to hud an immediate sub- stitute. although efforts had been made. As showing the manager's indispensability, the number of houses which had to be put under management instead of tenancy was increasing, and he had to audit these accounts practically every week. In the immediate future the number of these houses would substantially increase. This concern contributed an enor- mous sum to the general taxation of the country. J Mr. Gower Andre v. s The business is less than it was. The Manager 1:: has got more difficult to manage. Mr. Grower Andrews You must have known, as an attested man that you were liable to be called up. After discussion if. private the Tribunal decided to give a month's exemption to enable t.ie manager to get his books in order. A farmer at Llanvair with 00 acres, 40 of which are arable, applied for hit son, aged 18, without whom it was impossible to work the ft-rm. He had another .-on, aged 12. In reply to Mr. Joseph Griffiths, applicant said his son did all the ploughing and was with tie team regularly. Six months' exemot:u was granted. A Changed Attitude. I Mr. Morgan David, speaking generally on the cases which came before them, said that the County Tribunal seemed to take a rather different view to what they Mr. Prichard They have not all the in- formation in some Mr. Gower Andrews said that a lot of cases vhich came before the County Tribunal on the 2 >th of May came bef. re the Local Tribunal 011 t ie 10th of April, and since then the Board of Agriculture had rather relaxed their, attitude. Mr. Morgan David he had chahged some- what himself. Mr. John Lewis are bound tn. If we dr. not we shall-be kicking against a wall. Mr. Joseph Griffiths read a statement with regard to an agreement arrived at as the result of a conference between the agricultural and recruiting authorities Bath. This was that oc.e man should be l;:t with every team of horses, one man for e- ry 20 where there was milking a>»istar and one for every 12 where there was no su-.h assistance, one man for every 50 head of stall-; _-d cattle, and one man fr-r every 200 sheep, and that blacksmiths ami v. n'ilwrights should I; exempted. v. ?, I wr i Mr. Cower Andrew- said he had no instruc- lic I i z tions to that effect. Mr. Morgan David i it was a local matter and not of a national character. Personally he was inclined to take a. different view to what he 1 ad done, from what h- saw of the opinions of Cabinet Ministers aw i nwre especially of the I'-?sidcrt of the Eoar-: •<: Agriculture. The Chairman I cut uuWe of :.hÜ impression. J?r Joseph Griffith; -dd he ;'ehcved the Government were new. ox opinion that there v.-e thousands of m;: hi khaki who ou?ht to be r e many ?.crcs of land in oordurovs, and tbere vere many acres of laud I which should have l>wn ploughed but for the shortage of labour. It rv.s for the Tribunal to seriouslv consider these cases. Mr. Gower Andrew sand the Government had rut them in an awkward oosition. because they were always chopping and changing m their ideas about recruiting Mi". John Lewis saiu the tendency to-day was -tJ take a different view to what thev did six months ago. If their decisions were not to be on appeal, they must act accorÜiugjy. Mr. Gower Andrews said the Tribunal should not pay too much attention to the County Tribunal, because he was appealing against some of their decisions to the Central Tribnnal.1 A farmer at Fwthog with 120 acres, 20 of which are arable, applied for his general work- man, a single man aged 27. There were 22 cattle and 150 sheep. Exemption till the end of' September was granted. Oldcastle Landlord and Farmer's son. 1 i An Oldcastle farmer's son agam appeared before the Tribunal. His case had been ad- journed so that he could produce a letter from the agent showing that he was promised the farm wis being given up by his father, who had taken another farm tenanted for years by his brother. Applicant produced this lettc-r, which stated that the landlord, Mr. Barneby, settled on the -th October, 1915, for the father to have the other farm at the expiration of the tenancy of his brother, who is applicant's uncle. It was not then agreed for the son to have his father's farm, and nothing was done till the latter saw Mr. Barnebv in the spring. The Clerk Nothing was really settled then. Applicant Nothing was really settled, but it was understood. The Clerk I don't gather from this letter thut it was understood. Applicant You must remember that this is Mr. Harneby's agent, and you can't expect him to go against him. The Clerk I cannot see a promise in that letter. Applicant I did not say a promise. I said it was understood. Mr. Grower Andrews said he believed that the case would have been settled in the ordinary course of events. Wilfred, one of the other two brothers, came to the recruiting office a week last Saturday and said he was prepared to go if he could have a reasonable time from the recruiting officer. The recruiting officer agreed not to call him up for a month, and lie (Mr. Gower Andrews) assented to that. He and the other brother then agreed to withdraw their appeals to the County Tribunal, and did so. He (Mr. Gower Andrews) agreed not to press the case against the present applicant. After he (Mr. Gower Andrews) left the County Tribunal, Mr. Harding, the agricultural representative, in- timated that undue coercion had been brought on Wilfred to join up. He did not know what he meant by that. He did not know if Mr. Griffiths had anything to do with it. Mr. Griffiths said he was not there when the conversation passed, but Mr. Harding spoke to him about it and he said he believed the father got frightened and withdrew his appeal. He also said there had been undue pressure by the military authorities and by Mr. Barneby in regard to this boy Mr. Gower Andrews said he denied that there had been pressure. Mr. Joseph Griffiths How many times have I asked you to leave the boy till after the harvest ? Mr. Gower Andrews You are not the Tribunal. Air. Joseph Griffiths I am here representing the Board of Agriculture to look after the agri- cultural interest^. Mr. Gower Andrews said that on the loth of April the case came before that Tribunal, and John was given exemption conditionally on Wilfred joining the colonrs within a month. Both made a joint appeal against the decision, and the case was still pending when the case of the other brother (applicant) came up for review. The latter was not an attested man, and he was given four months' exemption. lie represented himself to be the tenant of Glandwr Farm. When a report of the case appeared in the local Press, Mr. Barneby brought to his notice certain facts which the Tribunal knew. A few days before his case came on applicant approached Mr. Barneby with a request that he should consent to allow him to make a statement to the Tribunal that he was the tenant of the farm, in order that he might get exemption. Mr. Barneby expressly told him that he must not sav such a thing. The case was adjourned at his (Ir. Gower Andrews ) request, with the full consent of the Tribunal, and it was suggested that the father should come and see him and say which of the sons he was prepared to let go. The father did not come, unfortunately, but applicant came with Mr. Griffiths and made a suggestion, which was quite ludicrous, that Wilfred would join up if he were allowed ex- emption till the 20th of September. As the Tribunal had said he must join up within a mouth, he could not accept that suggestion. The Chairman You did quite properly. Mr. John Prichard You had no power to do so. Mr. Gower Andrews said the case of applicant came before the Tribunal again, and it was ad- journed in order that he might produce some evidence that he had been promised the farm. He had not produced that evidence, but, on the contrary, he proved that he was not promised the farm. Mr. Joseph Griffiths: You said repeatedly that one boy must go. Was not that putting pressure on ? Mr. Gower Andrews It is for the Tribunal to say he should go, and they have already said so. Mr. Joseph Griffiths You repeatedly said one must go, and the Board of Agriculture say neither must go till the harvest is in. If you do not exempt the boy till the harvest is in I shall have to take it to a higher court. We must stick out for agriculture and get the crops in. The father is farming the one farm and this boy has got the other farm stocked. Not Promised to Him. I Mr. Cower Andrews called Mr. Barneby, the landlord. • Air. Cower Andrews I believe applicant came to you some time before his case came on at the Tribunal and asked you to allow him to sav he was the tenant of Glandwr Farm ?—He did. And you expressly told him he was not to say that ?—Yes. I believe afterwards you saw a report in the paper that he had made that statement, and you wrote to me ?-That is so. You said the farm was not promised to him ?- That is so. William said lie would not have come home unless he knew that he was going to have the farm. Can you recollect when he returned home ?—Two days before the Oldcastle sale, which, I think, was on October 5th. When was it arranged that the father should have the Court ?—On the day of the sale. He said he left his employment specially to take Glandwr Farm, but that could not be if his father was not promised the Court until the day of the sale. He must have had to give a month's notice. At any rate he came home before it was settled ?—Yes. Mr. Joseph Griffiths Before it was finally settled. I think you had been negotiating with the father and it was understood he was to have it, but the day of the sale it was finally settled. Air. Barnebv My agent had been applied to before for the farm. Air. Griffiths He understood he was to have it. Air. Barnebv He could not have understood that until terms were settled. He hoped to have it, no doubt. Mr. Griffiths He had been encouraged to think so. Air. Barneby That has nothing to do with William (the applicant). Air. Griffiths This boy came home thinking to step into his father's shoes. Air. Barneby That has nothing to do with me. Air. Griffiths It has something to do with his position to-day. Mr. Barneby I don't see that it has at all. Air. Grimths So far as his father is con- cerned he is the tenant of the farm. Air. Barneby I can't help what his father told him. Applicant Didn't the agent ask father what he was going to do with Glandwr Farm and he said he would like to have it for me ? He asked IN-"l crQ I was and my father said in South Wales and I was going to be married. Air. Barneby He said he would like to put one of his sous in the farm. Air. Gower Andrews: And you never con- sented Air. Barneby No, it was nothing but pre- liuiinarv talk. The 'Chairman You didn't say definitely You can't have the two farms ? Air. Barnebv There was nothing but pre- liminary talk. Air. Joseph Griffiths The father had every reason to think he was going to have the Court. It was not finally settled I understand that. Air. Barnebv It was not settled at all. Air. Griffiths As far as he understood. Air. P.arneftv I can't help that. He had no reason to understand. Air Gower Andrews The father will give up Glandwr at Christmas ? Air. Barnebv Yes. Applicant I understood it was 12 months' notice. Air. Barnebv It is six months' notice in the agrv-ment. The Chairman Is that legal ? Air. Barneby It is in the agreement. Air. Gower Andrews said it was quite legal. He knew of a similar case which had been decided. > Mr. Joseph Griffiths said he was very sorry that all this unpleasantness and trouble had arisen. They could not go beyond the fact that the father was acknowledged as the tenant for the two farms. He had 4°0 acres of land and 50 or Go acres of hay and corn to get in. If they exempted the three boys till the harvest was in then they would be prepared to go. The in- structions of the Board of Agriculture teid it down that these boys must not be taken off the land. Mr. Gower Andrews The Board of Agri- culture don't rule the roost. Mr. Joseph Griffiths We shall have a riding before we have finished. Mr. Gower Andrews said he asked the Tribunal to decide on the facts of his case, and on those facts he was prepared to take it to the Appeal Court. After a discussion in private, the Chairman said the application of the Military Representa- tive was not assented to. Mr. Grower Andrews I shall appeal against that. A married farmer, aged^S, at Cwmy-oy Lower, with So acres of land, 16 OT which are arable, was given absolute exemption. Another married farmer, aged 24 (a brother of the last applicant) with no acres, of which 30 are arable, was also given absolute exemption. A woodcutter and licensee at Bryngwyn, aged 33, in reply to questions, said he was employed all his spare time at wood-cutting. He had put in four days a week lately. Applicant was given J a month's exemption, but on being informed of a forthcoming interest- ing domestic event the Tribunal altered it to two months. A timber haulier and smallholder, aged 34, with 20 acres at Llanwenarth, was given con- ditional exemption Get a Wife." I I A single farmer, aged 33, m partnership with his brother on 185 acres at Idanvetherine, said there were 30 acres arable, 36 cattle, 10 horses, and 105 sheep. They had had no assistance on the farm since September. Applicant was conditionally exempted, and Mr. Prichard remarked, Get a wife at once." A small farmer at Llanellen applied for his son who, he said, did the ploughing, milking and market gardening. Applicant said he was 60 and suffered from rheumatism. He had 39 acres, of which six were market garden. The son was 39 and single. He took the produce to market twice a week. Six months exemption was granted. A miller at Llanover applied for his sou, aged 2 g an expert stone dresser, who was the only one who understood the complete work of a flour mill. He had another son, just turned 17, and an old man at another mill. His youngest son wanted to join the other day, and witness was willing, but they would not take him as he was too young. Applicant said he was in delicate health himself, and had 18 acres. Six months' exemption was granted. A blacksmith at Llanvetherine applied for an improver, aged ig. Applicant said he had 130 acres of land, and he had a son who was not strong. Four months' exemption was granted. A waggoner and general workman, aged 19, on a farm of 108 acres (16 arable) at Llanvair, the only one on the farm except the employer, was exempted till the 1st of September. A blacksmith at Grosmont, in applying for a single man. said it,woul ,(T mean serious hardship if he went, as the present was the busiest time, and applicant could not shoe a heavy horse himself. He had advertised and failed to get a single application. Exempted till the end of September. A farmer at Llantilio Pertholey in applying for his son, a single man aged 26, said he was essential to him, as it was impossible to get skilled labour. It would be a great hardship to lose his services, as he was skilled in every de- partment of agriculture. Applicant had 260 acres, including 80 arable. He had another son, aged 21, and a man aged 50. Exempted for six months. A farmer at Grosmont applied for his cowman and waggoner, the only man he had on 230 acres. His five stallion leaders. were all either over or under military age. Exempted for six months. A farmer at Llanddewi Rhydderch with 96 acres, 21 of which are arable, applied for his waggoner and general assistant, a nephew, aged 29. He had had no other man since February. Another nephew had been out at the Dar- danelles. Exempted for six months. A milk seller at the Alardy, a married man with three children, claimed that it would mean serious financial hardship if he joined His Majesty's Forces, as he had laid out a good deal of money in establishing his business, and he had a large amount outstanding which would be lost. Exemption for six months was granted. I Petition from Farmers. I A married farmer and miller with 30 acres, at I Llantliony, said he was the only man on the place, and had a delicate wife to support. A petition was read from farmers in -tije valley asking that applicant should be ex- empted as there was no other mill in the valley and they would have to go 10 miles or more, and it would be quite impossible to get their corn ground. Conditional exemption was granted. A married miller, aged 35, at Clytha was similarly exempted. The case of a married fanner, aged 27, with 19 acres near the town, who said he had taken the land on medical advice, was adjourned so that he might go before the Aledical Board. A blacksmith, aged 67, at Llanvihangel Cru- corney, applied for a married man aged 29, the only man he had in his employ. Applicant him- self was unable to shoe. He had to do work for about 60 farms. Exempted till the end of September. r A market gardener at lAanloist applied ior a gardener, who, he said, it was impossible to replace owing to the scarcity of skilled labour essential to the production of foodstuffs. He was of more use where he was than in military service. Applicant had between 60 and 70 acres, 40 of which were market garden. He supplied 30 or 40 fruiterers besides the markets. He employed three men and six women. Three months' exemption was granted. A licensee at Llanwenarth applied for his son, a married man aged 36 years, who managed the inn and 16 acres of land. There was no one else to manage applicant's affairs. By Mr. Gower Andrews Applicant employed an old gardener. His son's wife was living there. The application was refused. A farmer with 84 acres at Llantilio Pertholey, who said he was an epileptic subject, applied for his ploughman and waggoner, the only man he had. The man was married and had three children. Six months' exemption was granted. A market gardener with several acres of land at different places ir the vicinity of the town was given conditional exemption. A single carpenter and wheelwright, at Gros- mort, claimed that serious hardship would ensue if he were called up. He said he supported his parents, and his father had been ill for six months. He had already been given a month's exemption. In reply to Air. Gower Andrews, applicant said he had six brothers, three of whom were at Ebbw Yale. one on the railway and one in a grocer's shop at Abergavenny. Mr. Gower Andrews You were given a mouth to complete a contract. Is it com- pleted ?-The one I spoke of then is completed. Applicant said he had paid a premium to learn the trade, aud he felt it would be hard when he was just building up a business, to give it up for someone else to step into. Air. Gower Andrews Are you afraid someone else will step in?—I know there is someone waiting The application was refused. A young man claimed as the sole support of a widowed mother who has about 40 acres at Llantilio Pertholey. He had to get a living out of the land for his mother and sisters. There were two mares, five milking cows and four other cows, 35 sheep and I I pigs. His sister made between 50 and 60 lbs. of butter and cheese. Two months' exemption was granted. Father and Conscientious Objectors. I Air. Joseph Griffiths read a letter from Air. Pugh. of the Upper Hendre, IJanover. with regard to his two sons wen had been refused exemption as conscientious objectors under the Militarv Service Act. As they had been only I sent for non-combatant service, he thought they might be sent back to the farm to do work of national importance. It was im- possible for 0,1: son to do all the work himself. If he could not have them back for the harvest he would have to give up the farm. Air. Morgan David Are you the representa- tive of the conscientious objectors ? (Laughter). Air. Joseph Griffiths I believe you have had something to do with this coming to me. (Langh- ter). It seems they are in the guard-room now, doing nothing.  Mr. Gower Andrews Yon must go to the military authorities about it.