MAN POWER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 217, 14 September 1939, Page 10

MAN POWER.

NATIONAL NEEDS.

PLANNING URGED.

FARMS AND PUBLIC WORKS.

appeal to employers.

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day

The suggestion that national planning was necessary for the replacement of men taken from farms, factories and I offices for active service was made in j the House of Representatives last night | by Mr. J. Hargest (National, Awarua). He said that in many instances the ranks should be refilled from men at i present engaged on public works. It would be absolutely necessary to have some system of the kind if production in primary and secondary industry was to be maintained. He congratulated the Minister of Public Works. Mr. Semple, for the work done alreadv in making camps fit for men who ha'd to go into training. He had been at Burnham latelv and found the camp site a hive of industry. In tile course of a few davs land had been turned over and numerous roads constructed. The work was under the supervision of a capable engineer. Mr. Hargest said he had counted 2° hutments, housing 40 to 45 men each. Construction work was being carried out with remarkable expedition "and in a short tune the men would be housed comfortably. He hoped there would be ?n,J epet i tion of what had happened in | ' when rnen were placed under canvas and sickness made its appearance. He thought that some members should go to Burnham and see what was bein"done there. They would then be in a position to tel! the public that when the boys went into camp everything had been done for their comfort. I

Maintaining Food Supplies. ? r 1 e „ no ' ; w ®dded to any one public works job, said Mr. Semple. If it was necessary to stop all works in the int i. th /. countr y that would be done, but he did not want to throw men "" t ° f > o} ' s willy-nilly. Certain commitments had been made and that position had to be faced. If young men went off farms to join New Zealand's armv other men would have to be found to ,l«n! I / p . lace9, If that w "e not done production would decrease. Food supplier had to be maintained. A tremendous amount depended upon the volume of production not onlv for New Zealand but. for tho overseas market as well. If it was necessary to use ZZ yb °tu f ? r u hi * P ,,r P° se 't "Oilld be h '"* s of opinion that •ome of the public works now in hand were essential, he was not tied to am one of them.

"Wot Bound to Commitments." Mr. Fraser reaffirmed his previous announcement that although the money provided on the estimates was passed the Government could not be bound to commitments. a« the estimates would have to be viewed in the light of war development*. He said it would . j B6 /i! OUS to throw men out of work and that would not happen. Unfortunately, owing to regulations which had been issued, some industries had slackened off and men had been discharged, but he hoped his word* would be noted by firms and enterprises which had received the benefit of faithful service from their employees, who should not be put off at the first stress of war. Surely these firms would be able to keep their men on for a period and see whether their services could be utilised, because after the first shock abnormality might disappear. He did not Say the practice had been general out it was unfair to dispense with men fh T?r ui ' l, T nl an<l Personnel of the Public Works Departme nt, concluded i .;; ra^ r - "ere part of the national mobilisation, and money voted for public works would be" devoted to national purposes. ;