NOT A PREVENTIVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 101, 30 April 1943, Page 3

NOT A PREVENTIVE

MANY FIRMS DO NOT REPORT (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 29. •Though no detailed inquiry has been made §y the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, reports which the association has received from several Christchurch factories are construed to indicate that absenteeism after the Easter holidays this year reached a fairly high level. Cases of four factories complaining of absenteeism -were quoted by the secretary of the association, Mr. R. T. Alston, today, 146 employees out of a total of 1000 employed by the four factories, or 14.6 per cent., having been absent on Tuesi-, day this week. . ' ' * . Of. the four factories, .he said, one clothing factory, employing 300 girls reported that 50 were absent on. Tues-j day,- and another clothing factory with 200 employees reported-26^ absentees.One boot factory reported that 46 men and 17 girls were absent on, Tuesday, with 13 girls still away today, the total, employed being. 800/ .A.second-.boot factory, employing 200 had 37; girls absent on . Tuesday, (representing a percentage, of 18.5), with eight still away today. Mr. Alston emphasised that all four factories were engaged on essential production. '. - -M • ■ ■»*,. The district man-power officer, Mr. M. Ross, said his office had so far received complaints of absenteeism from three factories. _ . •■<• ~ The criticism" that officially reporting cases of absenteeism had not had tne slightest effect on its .prevention was made by the president of. the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, Mr. A. M. Hollander. The figures irom the four factories were described b$ Mr. Hollander as symptomatic of the experience of most manufacturers in Christchurch, and it was apparent, he said, that the experience of Wellington firms was not unique. Much the same could be said of other centres in New Zealand. , "While the man-power officer s statement the other day was perfectly correct in that very iev^ cases of absenteeism were reported," he said,, it is a fact that reporting absenteeism has not had the slightest effect on its prevention. Those manufacturers who have reported absenteeism in the past have not noted an improvement as a result of doing so, and have reached the unhappy state of mind where they do not report these things. It is a pity. One would have thought that some action would have been taken in the past, but people can stay away with impunity, whether reported or not, and those who do stay away have to a certain extent'set an exampleto others who are waiting for a lead. The whole thing is most disconcerting to manufacturers, most of whom have definite contracts to perform/ Mr. Hollander said he wished not so much to complain about anything said by the man-power officer as to correct any impression which might have been gamed that there was very little absenteeism.