MANPOWER APPEALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 March 1943, Page 2

MANPOWER APPEALS

HEARING AT GREYMOUTH The Christchurch Manpower Appeal Committee sat at Greymouth Ihis morning, Mr K. G. Archer presiding. With him were Messrs H. T. Lee and J. Kelly, Mr N. R. Stanton jeing secretary, ivir G. G. M. Mitchell (Manpower Officer) also appeared. James Hamilton Lynch (Mr J. W. Hannan) appealed against the refusal ?f the Manpower Officer to allow him to leave the Blackwater Mines, Waiuta. —The Company withdrew its opposition to appellant’s application, which was struck out. Thomas B. Dowling (Mr. W. D. Taylor) appealed against the refusal of the Manpower Officer to allow him io leave his employment with Omoto Sawmills Ltd. In evidence he said he was a tractor driver and was anxious to take up similar employment near Rangiora, where he expected to receive a larger wage. He said he had had several arguments on the job, and conditions generally were not pleasant. He also alleged the tramway was unsafe. His children had to walk one and a-half miles to school and he considered this a hardship. To Mr. Mitchell: At present the mill equipment was in an unsatisfactory condition, and the tramway was unsafe. To Mr. J. S. Robertson (Sawmillers’ Association): He had had no experience as a leading bushman. He knew the tramway was to be relaid under Public Works Department supervision, but he thought plans had been made to this effect 18 months ago, but had not been carried out. To the Chairman: He had complained to the management about the bridges, but thev had not been repaired. At a recent fatality he was injured and was off work for nine weeks. He was now engaged in repairing the track and not in his ordinary work. Mr Robertson interposed that repairs were completed, and that the Public Works Department would make an inspection on Monday. Martin Ridley Pearson stated that the production of the mill near Rangiora had been entirely commandeered. There were 40 employees, but the mill was short-handed owing to the elderly men “cracking up.” Dowling would be .employed on handling logs, which job was being done by an elderly man. He would have to engage in falling work temporarily. At least 48 hours a week were being worked, and as much as 60.

To Mr. Mitchell: The firm was only one man short, but he could not maintain production, as required without a full crew. An unskilled man could not do the job it was proposed to give Dowling. To Mr. Robertson: Food crates were more important than housing. The men worked the 60 hours voluntarily, with the Government’s encouragement. No man was forced to work these hours, the Government subsidising eight per cent of the overtime pay. Mr. Robertson, in evidence, said he had instructions to oppose strenuously transfers in the industry, there having been numerous incidents of men obtaining medical certificates. The mills had been able to nominate only seven of 120 required to be released from camp, as most of the suitable men were overseas. The Omoto mill had operated 17 years, and it was understandable that the track would deteriorate. Since December all employees had been strengthening the. track.

(Proceeding.)