ENGAGING LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 117, 13 November 1942, Page 4

ENGAGING LABOUR

The new Restriction of Employment order extends to all occupations that are not classified as essential or otherwise exempted the restriction previously imposed upon a specified list of occupations. It means that these occupations may not now engage labour without the consent of the man-power officer. If an employee in one of these occupations leaves the place may not be filled without the officers consent. The intention, as explained by the Minister of Industrial Man-power, is to give the man-power officer an opportunity of considering whether an applicant for a position could be better absorbed in an essential industry. Theoretically the regulation is justifiable; but its real justification must be worked out in common-sense practice. There are many industries not classified as essential which must be kept in operation—many trading enterprises, for example—if essential industries are to function efficiently. Hard and fast lines cannot be drawn so as to say that on one side of the line shall be all the efficient labour and on the other side the unwanted labour or no labour at all. Even the right of the defence services to an unlimited call upon labour for noncombatant duties cannot be conceded without consideration, of the effect upon the services and supplies essential for national life. This means that there must be provision in the man-power offices for investigating cases that come up for decision. Snap judgments or rule-of-thumb decisions will not do. In short, the value of the new order in really promoting^ efficiency in the use of labour power depends upon the capacity of the Department - charged with administering its provisions.