FACTS WANTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 92, 19 April 1945, Page 6

FACTS WANTED

I MANPOWER CONTROL INDUSTRY VERY CONCERNED "Industry is very concerned as to whether the best use is being made of the industrial manpower available in this country," stated a report by the president, Mr. H. J. Lichtenstein, adopted by the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to-day. "From several sources we have learned that there is considerable dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation in so far as it affects the food producing industries in Auckland," added the report. On Saturday last, at a sitting of the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board, 168 cases of category "A" men, whom it was intended to take from the freezing works had been heard. The district manpower officer had stated that he did not anticipate any difficulty in satisfying the freezing works labour requirements with clerical workers, to be drawn from Government Departments, banks, breweries and other places. Similar promises on previous occasions had not been fulfilled. With a large proportion of the war devastated world crying out for foodstuffs, and the utmost need for the maximum of exportable surplus, any unnecessary dislocation of New Zealand's food producing industries would be a disaster. The question was—and thte was now the first and most dire necessity—replacement o# New Zealand troops overseas, or food production. It was clearly the duty of the Government to make a definite statement as to the policy on this matter. Need of Combing Out The acting-Prime Minister had stated recently that it had been agreed with General Freyberg that the Dominion should send replacements for men sent back from Italy. If this reflected the latest requirements of General Freytierg, then it was naturally New Zealand's duty to supply the replacements. "No longer can there be any security reasons for withholding a statement on New Zealand's full military commitments at this stage of the war, and it is pertinent to ask, can such be met by the influx of youths reaching military age?" continued the report. "Has the large number of men and women in the forces within New Zealand been combed so that there are no personnel who are not fully occupied in necessary work? Last year Camp Personnel Investigation Committees were set up. There has been no public disclosure of their findings or recommendations. "All this leads to one conclusion, that if the procedure of manpower selection now being carried out is absolutely necessary and the best that could be devised, then industry is entitled to be told the facts which will satisfy them on this point. In any case a statement of a properly conceived policy should be made if there is one." In adopting the report, the council decided to ask the Associated Chambers to endeavour to obtain a statement of the Government's policy.