MEN FROM PACIFIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 121, 24 May 1944, Page 6

MEN FROM PACIFIC

: EMPLOYERS': REQUESTS ' The men being returned from the Pacific for employment on* farms and in other,; allied" industries "of high priority could not be released for. other j employment,-': stated the Minister of National Service, (Mr. McLagan) tod»y. ■ . '{■:'■ "Numerous requests are being received by niy Department from employ, ers,'.'•sard'the Minister, "asking for ;ffie 'return 'to' their "previous employ-'ih^nt-'bf^nien-'.who are being brought ;bftck' from the Pacific as volunteers if or i farming,and other work of high priority for-which these men are being'selected." ■ '/'.The Minister said that authority could not be given for the return of ,-any; of these men«to their pre-service ■ jobs, as they-were being released from '.the Army solely, on the.'condition that they,take up work on;farms and in ; thV other industries concerned, that ■,\yas, coal mining, • sawmilling, dairy factories, freezing works, railways, ' and; building and construction. \\i^:\ ' „-■■■-NO APPEAL., .-.As" had already been . announced, laid Mr. McLagan, there were insufficient experienced'workers for release from the-Pacific to meet the estimated requirements of some of the priority industries concerned, and it was therefore ' necessary to' provide for men without experience to volunteer for employment. in these industries to make up the quotas required. Consequently, there would be men returning: as volunteers for.farm and other work who were previously employed in a wide variety of jobs—many of which were,declared essential works. Thus, there would be civil servants, bank clerks, shop assistants, etc., etc., who had now volunteered and i been brought back to New Zealand specificallyffor other employment in the industries concerned in the general drive for increased primary production: .This work -was an alternative to further military service in the™meantime, and there was no provision for the return of these men to their preservice employment, whether or not it was' classed as essential work for man-power purposes. Also, there was no aopeal procedure open to employers for the return of these men. "I would remind these employers," concluded the Minister, "that, if these men had not volunteered for and been brought back for this special work, they would have remained hi the Army overseas and would not in any case have been available for return to their old jobs, and employers are therefore not being deprived ofc any staff that they would otherwise have had. Also, in the event of any of the men refusing to undertake the work for which they have volunteered, they are immediately being rcmobilised so that other men may be released for this work." ' *