THE LABOUR SHORTAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 207, 30 August 1916, Page 11

THE LABOUR SHORTAGE.

UTOMEirS RESERVE PREPARING NEW CAMPAIGN TO BE LAUNCHED. -Despite New Zealand's goodly contribution towards the armies of the Empire the time has not yet arrived when | there is any real shortage of male labour necessitating the employment of women in all kinds of industries in j which men exclusively obtain their livelihood. In teaching, in the banks, and in "various spheres of clerical labour there'has been some demand for women. but in the manual trades there is little sign of the admission of female labour. With the advent of the operation of the Military Service Bill next month the Auckland branch of the Women's Na-tional-Reserve anticipates that the time will arrive for serious preparation to be made, for the replacing of male labour, and-the -civil branch, which is enrolling women who are prepared to work in their country's interests, is preparing for a.big forward movement. - i Since the civil branch of the-Reserve was given a fillip some months ago by the yisit.qf.Dr. .PlattsrMills, its active propaganda has had to be subordinated to efforts to raise funds for various objects," and has not made that progress •that its promoters desire, but nevertheless members have been steadily enrolled. The Auckland branch'is. awaiting with interest the fulfilment of a' promise made by the Hon. G. W. Russell 1 (Minister of Internal Affairs!, who is working, in conjunction with the Reserve. A classification of activities in which women can most readily be useful has been made by the Reserve as follows: 1, Professional; 2, clerical; -3, farming; .4, shop employees; 5, factory employees: -6, domestic duties: 7, general. " The object of the Reserve is; as far as possible, to get members qualified, for the various groups organised so as to be prepared for. any. demand. . Side by side with the enrolment and classification of .qualified women, however, it is undertaking the training of women for all kinds "of callings, and it is specially desirous of obtaining the services of thoss 'women who at present have no occupation or whose duties are purely domestic. • The executive of the Auckland branch recently met to consider the appointment .of a new Secretary. Hitherto the secretarial duties have been carried out jointly, by Misses Black and Buckleton. The. former, however, is secretary of the ■military branch of -the movement, and -has,-had to relinquish-the task,'and Miss - Buckleton merely undertook a temporary responsibility- pending the appointment of a permanent secretary. The resignation of these two ladies" was re-, ceived by the executive, and Mrs. D. W. McLean, who has been acting as enrolling officer, was appointed to the vacant .position. The Reserve now has offices .in Camden Chambers. Queen Street, and active preparations are being made for a big appeal for the co-operation of women when the Military Service Act comes into operation. " ;, One interesting feature of the operations of the Reserve is the fact that it p made a point of honour with all the rimembers that if they step into the places M men who have gone to the front, •they BbaU.merely regard their function keeping warm" the billets of the .soldiers, and. a pledge is extracted from •each one that such places will be vacated as soon as the soldier returns and ex.presseft a. wish to return to his billet. ay the pledge the member undertakes •to withdraw whether or not the employer is desirous of her doin- so. . \^ c X** to b .e borne in mind, stated the newly-appointed secretary to a .Star reporter, was that-in this counof'il the Wa « es conditions ot. labour are regulated by law, the problem of the undercutting* of men by Wnen after the war will not bo si acute as m European countries where there is unrestricted competition be. tween the sexes. In New Zealand the aw!2l« m f m A lndustr i«s were fixed by fSu" 1 Courts. Of course rai^i 110 *' 11 : fea3ib,e t0 «¥<■<* un2KTT ea ° St6p into men 6 P laces «d earn the same wages as skilled artiviuu, »mmediately. but as the women tX Sh ° Uld JJot? ot be P^ d same awlfds £%r*J be Court ° men should now ba lol ; ward . and offe "" their en ,w *I e eollD try, while employer* tt C ° uld heI P b -- offe P rinf "o WTen-w£ tra^n S &>r «mc appSS. ° f Iabou "" <*"