ESSENTIAL WORK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 85, 21 January 1942, Page 3

ESSENTIAL WORK

APPEALS AGAINST TRANSFERS. NEW MANPOWER COMMITTEES. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. New manpower committees to handle the transfer of workers under the recently gazetted regulations covering essential industries are to he set up. These committees, it was officially explained by the National Service (Department in "Wellington yesterday, will deal with appeals under the regulations only, and not appeals against military service. The constitution of the committees has not yet been decided, but it was pointed out that the manpower committees hearing military service appeals comprise a chairman and a representative of both the employers and the workers. Information of the proposal to set up the committees was received yesterday by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association from the New Zealand Federation. The Manufacturers’ Association and the Employers’ Association have been asked to send forward four names.

No official representations had been made to him for the declaring of farming as an essential industry, said the Minister frfr National Service (the Hon. It. Semple), when comment on the exclusion of the industry from the list was referred to.

‘ The list is a start, and if there is sufficient evidence or public opinion that any other industries should be included in the schedule they will he included automatically,” said Mr Semple. ‘‘There is nothing stereotyped about the regulations. We can do anything we think necessary as time goes on in declaring industries essential for the Dominion’s war effort. If reasonable grounds can be shown, other industries will be added. The list will lie extended as the position demands or warrants.”

Labour might continue to move freely into essential industries, but all labour in them could move out only with consept. “I have received no objections.” Mr Semple replied, when he was asked if either employers or workers had raised any objections to the regulations being an infringement of their right to ‘‘hire and fire” labour, on the part of employers, and the workers’ right to accept work and to terminate employment.