Tribunal decides on timber cutter

At a tribunal 100 years ago, the military authorities appealed against exemption from call-up granted to Archibald McLaren, a 22-year-old from Gargunnock.

Henry Robb, solicitor, said Mr McLaren was a partner with his father in a firm of wood merchants, joiners and cartwrights from the village.

With a view to assisting the Government’s timber supply department, the firm had agreed to purchase wood on the on the estate of Gargunnock and cut up the timber.

Farmers “for miles around” were dependent on the firm which also had contracts for cutting wood on the Touch and Leckie estates.

Mr McLaren senior was unable to take charge of the business which had become reliant on his son.

Archibald McLaren was the firm’s only competent sawyer (wood cutter) and, said Mr Robb, it would be impossible to get someone of comparable skills if he was to be drafted into the services.

The military’s appeal was sustained but Archibald McLaren was not to be called up while he was engaged in the timber-cutting contracts.

In a second case heard by the tribunal, William Miller, a grocer from Balfron, appealed against the decision of the county tribunal withdrawing his exemption from military service.

Mr A Paterson, solicitor, said the grocers was a one-man business and Mr Miller had three brothers serving in the Army, one of whom had worked with him. When that brother left, the family lost its carriage hiring business.

William Miller, it was explained, assisted his mother, and if he was called up the only one to look after the business would be a sister. Mr Miller‘s appeal was sustained and he was granted temporary exemption for six months.

Military authorities were also unhappy about an exemption decision granted in respect of the son of the occupiers of Ballewan Farm, Blanefield, who was a single man.

Army representative Capt Motherwell argued the farm was overstaffed, a view supported by the Board of Agriculture.

Solicitor Mr Robb acknowledged the board’s view but explained the Food Production Committee had visited the farm and concluded that all the men working there were essential to its proper cultivation.

Capt Motherwell said there were in fact two other men on the farm but Mr Robb said one of them, a Mr Boys, could not do manual work, while the second, John Boys junior, suffered from nervous headaches. These were at times of such intensity as to incapacitate him for work.

Mr Robb said the farm had on it three male workers plus a supervisor and was not overstaffed. Appeal by the military was refused and the man’s exemption from service was continued but he was ordered to join the Volunteer Force.