ESSENTIAL WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 107, 1 November 1940, Page 9

ESSENTIAL WORK

MAN-POWER APPEALS

CLAIMS BY EMPLOYERS

CASES DECIDED

Most of the appeals from the requirements of training in the Territorial Forces which came before the Wellington Man-power Committee yesterday afternoon and today were by employers and were concerned with replacement problems, some associated with essential war work. Mr. E. P. Hay was acting-chairman today, and the other members of the committee were Messrs. R. Cable and E. E. Canham.

In support of an appeal by the New Zealand Shipping Co., Ltd., on be-

half of two employees, the general manager (Mr. C. M. Turrell) said that of the company's permanent clerical staff of 39 at Wellington on the outbreak of war, 15 were now in the Army, Navy, or Air Force, and another man was waiting to be called up. "I have released every man I possibly could; in fact, the state of my staff is causing me very great concern," Mr. Turrell added. "These are two men with special knowledge that I cannot possibly do without. The importance of the turning-round of the food ships is increasing every day. There have been a large number of insulated ships lost, and the only way to overtake the losses and get the country's production to the markets is to turn the ship around as quickly as possible. Everyone on the staff is working overtime."

The committee agreed on the importance of maintaining the efficiency of the shipping companies and the two cases were adjourned sine. die.

An apprentice fitter and turner withdrew his appeal, which was based on the public interest because of his employers', manufacture of munitions, on being informed that the general principle was that the period of Territorial training counted as part of the period of apprenticeship. The withdrawal of the appeal was made conditional on this principle being found to apply to the appellant's case.

FISHING INDUSTRY.

The importance of the fishing industry was recognised by the committee when it adjourned sine die an appeal by the employers of the engineer of a fishing launch owned and operated by Britons. It was emphasised that any change in the man's occupation must be notified immediately.

The following appeals made on behalf of men stated to be employed in essential industries or occupations were adjourned sine die:—

A wireless operator employed by the Post and Telegraph Department in the Government radio station, Wellington.

A fitter and turner employed in the railway workshops on grinding gauges for munitions manufacture.

■ An officer of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department stationed at the Wallaceville laboratory and engaged in research on facial eczema and animal nutrition.

A member of the Salvation Army who comes into the same classification as ministers of; r'el'lgib.ri'. :

A technician in the service of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department wording in the Wellington chemical laboratory on facial eczema and the nutrition of bacon pigs.

A member of the technical staff of the National Broadcasting Service whose services, it was claimed, would be required in the event of a national emergency.

A petrologist (said to be the only one in New Zealand) employed by the Scientific and Industrial Research' Department on the geological survey of New Zealand and engaged in the search for minerals useful for war purposes.

The case in which the proprietor of United Wallpapers appealed on behalf of an interior decorator who was said to be essential to the business while the appellant devoted his full time to farming activities, was adjourned sine die.

An appeal by the National Carbon Coy., described as the sole manufacturers of dry-cell batteries in New Zealand, on behalf of an Australian employee, was referred to the Director of National Service for decision as to whether the man is to be deemed a resident of New Zealand within the meaning of the regulations, having regard to the circumstances of his case.