CHOOSING MEN FOR ESSENTIAL WORK

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 298, 13 September 1941, Page 8

CHOOSING MEN FOR ESSENTIAL WORK

Possibility Of Abuses Mentioned

(By Telegraph— Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 12.

“It would not do for an employer to pick and choose among his employees as to which is to do essential work and then come along and ask for exemption, said the chairman, Mr. Orr Walker, S.M., at a sitting of the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board, when commenting on an appeal for a single man who had been chosen by his employers to do essential work after lie had been called up in an overseas ballot.

The reservist concerned was a fit man of 23 years of age and at the time of being drawn in the ballot he was doing not very essential work, said the chairman. Then six weeks later he was chosen by someone to do work that might be essential in six months’ time. To allow appeals in such circumstances might lead to abuses, for it would be possible for employers to select favourites and give them essential jobs, even after they had been drawn in a ballot, though he did not suggest the present appellant would do that—the firm had a good war record —there was a possibility of abuses creeping in and the position had to be watched.

Appellant: We think we used sound judgment In choosing this man. The chairman: It is a pity you did not refer the matter to someone. You took a soldier and trained him for this job. The hearing was adjourned till November.