HOLIDAY BAN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 302, 22 December 1941, Page 3

HOLIDAY BAN

AUSTRALIAN MOVE ,

many protests made

government stands firm

j (0.C.) SYDNEY, December 20. i Annual holidays, even when they I involve no interference with produc- | tion, cannot now be taken until the j federal Government gives permis- \ sion.

ft The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin made this clear in a statement issued B in Canberra last night. ;.| It was .stated in official quarters at U Canberra to-night that the GovernM ment would ;Uand firm by its deci(l sion on holidays irrespective of any pressure that was brought to bear. ; 3 A number of unions have protested II against the Government's holiday ■;4 policy, and it is stated that some I employees have threatened to defy 11 the regulations. | The acting : seeretary of the Australia lasian Council of Trades Unions, Mr ill Clarey, said in Melbourne yesterday that he had made every effort to have the regulations amended, but m they had not been amended to the • e satisfaction of the A.C.T.U. or of the 1 trades union movement. 0 One Minister said to night that the Government believed that everybody m who took holidays at this time was H a filth columnist. 5| "Acute Danger" The Attorney-General, Dr. Evatt said he felt that complaints about the ,:i holiday plans indicated an indiffer- ] ence to the acute danger in which | Australia was now placed and a de- | sire to use excuses to evade the | Prime Minister's call to the nation. 1 "In my opinion." Dr. Evatt said, | "three days of holidays are too many Apparently some holiday-makers would be prepared to bask on one I beach while fighting forces were rei sisting Japanese invaders on an adjoining beach." Iln a telegram sent to Dr. Evatt to-day the secretary of the Brick Union, Trades Hall, Melbourne, stated that some employees threatened to "take the law into their own hands and risk the consequences." Dr. Evatt, in reply, emphasised that bricks were < urgently needed, and added: "The fighting services and all of us here are standing by our posts and giving up all holidays for the time being. We feel sure that you will try and induce all concerned to do the same." Interpreting . the Federal regulations, a high official of the Department of Labour said yesterday that no employer could close his premises on any day between Christmas Day and January 3—except on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

In both Sydney and Melbourne a number of employees have threatened to give notice because of the effect of the holiday regulations. About *80 per cent of the 700 boot trade operatives in Melbourne are expected to give notice to their employers that they will terminate their employment on the last working day before the Christmas holidays. They will probably all present themselves for re-employment on January 5. Mr. T. Richards, secretary of the Boot Trades Employees' Union, said today that the men had been working overtime for more than 12 months and felt that they were entitled to a break at Christmas.