STATE CONTROL OF MANPOWER

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23536, 14 January 1942, Page 4

STATE CONTROL OF MANPOWER

Industries Declared Essential NEW LAW TO BE ENFORCED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 13. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), in a statement to-night, referred to important amendments to the National Service Emergency Regulations, 1940, which have been brought down to meet the industrial situation created by the present emergency. The object of the amendments is to ensure the best use of the Dominion’s industrial manpower in a situation calling for heavy withdrawals of men for defence. It is proposed to bring new measures ‘into operation immediately, particularly by declaring certain industries to be essential. Mr Fraser added that the amendments now brought down fall into two main parts, covering, respectively, conservation of labour in essential industries, and mobilising additional labour resources for essential production. The amended regulations give the Minister for National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) the power to declare any industry or undertaking to be essential. Such declaration immedi* ately places the industry and fhe employers and workers connected with it under the control of the Minister, which will be exercised through district manpower officers, whose prior consent will be necessary before the employment can be terminated. This applies to both workers and employers, both of whom must give at least seven days’ notice of their desire to terminate employment. However, this consent is not required for dismissal in the case of serious misconduct. List of Industries Workers in an essential undertaking are, subject to these conditions to be kept in full-time employment and are required to carry out, subject to certain conditions, any work in the undertaking of which they are capable during any periods when work in their occupation is not available. The following industries and undertakings have been declared to be essential: — Firms engaged in the production of munitions, minesweepers, launches, cases for packing munitions, waxed cardboard containers for ammunition carriers, component parts for ammunition earners, water bottle covers (military), footwear and firefighting equipment, and also the following industries: Coalmining, woollen mills, knitting mills or factories, rubber mills, clothing factories where engaged on defence contracts, tanneries, firms engaged in work essential to military construction and communications, New Zealand Government railways in respect of railway workshops locomotive branch, traffic and stores branch, signal and electrical branch, and maintenance branch, butter and cheese factories, the de Havilland Aircraft Company, linen flax mills, employees of public and private hospitals, gas and electric power production and supply, ship repairing, the flax industry, including the woolpack factory, freezing works, and the timber industry. Other industries may be declared essential as circumstances warrant. Offence to be Absent In essential undertakings it is an offence against the regulations for any person to be absent from work without reasonable excuse or to be habitually absent from work without a reasonable excuse, or to .be habitually or persistently late, or to fail to perform work with due diligence and skill. In order to ensure that the future labour requirements of essential industry can be met and that the entire available manpower and womanpower of the country can be used to the best advantage the amendment enables the Minister to require any specified class or classes of persons to register for employment. Men who have been called up for military service but who by reason of medical grading or postponement are not for the time being serving with the armed forces are deemed to be already registered. A person who has registered may be directed by the District Manpower Officer to undertake any employment or training lor employment. All persons registered are required to notify the officer immediately of any change of occupation, employment, or address. An extension of the provisions of the Occupational Re-establishment Emergency Regulations, 1940, and of the Suspension of Apprenticeship Emergency Regulations, 1930, provides that a person transferred from one employment to another under the direction of the District' Manpower Officer must, subject to the prescribed conditions, be subsequently reinstated in his former employment. Where a person is aggrieved by any decision of the District Manpower Officer there is provision for reference of the matter to special committees appointed for the purpose of giving further consideration to such cases. The committee’s decision is final. Two further provisions of considerable importance are contained in the amendments. The Minister for National Service is given power to control the inflow of labour into Industries by requiring employers specified to secure the consent of the District Manpower Officer before engaging any worker. The Minister is also given power to require any person or class of persons to apply for enrolment in the Emergency Reserve Corps, and if the application is accepted, to serve in the E.P.S. or any specified branch of the corps.