MORE LIGHT NEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 85, 7 October 1943, Page 4

MORE LIGHT NEEDED

According to Mr. Morgan Williams, M.P., the Minister of Industrial Manpower (Mr. McLagan) has taken very drastic steps to deal with the manpower situation. Mr. Williams was commenting on a suggestion made at a meeting of a primary production council that the council should advocate the urgent review of the number of units engaged in all theatres of.war and on home defence. For a considerable time all branches of industry— secondary as well as primary—have been expressing great concern over the' man-power position, but the information that has been forthcoming from the Government as to its intentions has been meagre and unsatisfactory. There have been general statements as to the need for placing more men in industry and there have been many promises of surveys. Up to the present, however, there has been little indication of decisive action. The statement by Mr. Williams, although it indicates that something has been done, falls far short of giving those engaged in industry and the public generally the information to which they. are entitled. If definite action has been taken, there should be an authoritative statement from the Government as to the nature of that action, not a general statement by a private member of the Government party. The Government's approach to the man-power problem has been far too haphazard, and it is high time that those primarily concerned, as well as the public, should be told what is happening, especially if, as Mr. Williams suggests, very drastic steps have already been taken. It is not only the farming industry that is. concerned; all branches of industry are entitled to know where they stand in regard to the availability 'of labour.