VIEWS IN HOUSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20959, 5 December 1942, Page 4

VIEWS IN HOUSE

dVlfttlAUL URGED INDUSTRY CRIPPLED DEMANDS OF THE FORCES (P.R.) WELLINGTON, Doc. 5. No subject was causing more concern 'to the public than man-power and Its organisation for war purposes, said .-the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. S. G. Holland, in the House ot Representatives yesterday. He thought that with the improvement in the war situation the time had arrived for a complete overhaul of the man-powef position. . Cone'iliions during this war could pit tife compared with those m the last war,, he said. For instance, in this war NCw Zealand was sending m Great Britain six times more butter, 21- times,more cheese, and much more meat and wool than it sent in the last war. The armed forces had required the .calling; up of men far in excess of the country’s ability jo supply them. That was proved by the release of. so. ..many thousands of men from the armed forces. To-day, continued .Mr. Holland, there was a shortage of many essential requirements, and it seemed entirely wrong that New Zealand should he importing .potatoes and wheat from overseas when those commodities could be grown here and the ships could be used for more important purposes. The shortage of manpower. was throwing extra work on ttfe wphleh oh farms and in factories and ttiejy were feeling the strain. Maintaining Production . “With the greatly improved war • situation,” said Mr. Holland, “there is no , justification whatever for the calling Up of the men of 41 to 45 years of age. It is wrong.” There werfe tens of thousands of young and fjt men in industry who coul'd be replaced by older men. The New Zealand forces in the Pacific' were part of New Zealand’s defences, arid it was absurd to be maintaining jjip. jnapy men in New Zealand m addition.

In view of the fact that circumstances had changed for tire better Mr..W. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford) said' he thought it was unsound to cling ■ to What was proposed at a time when circumstances were black. He suggested that the balance of man-power CQUId better be utilised in maintaining production if the economy of the country was to stand up to strain. “Unless,” added Mr. Poison, “we Completely reorganise our manpower. co-ordinate our plans for production, and proceed to work longer hours th&h We are already working in 311 ’fessejiticil industries, and transfer fedh arid women from industries that iire unessential to essential industries, then wb cahot maintain those essential Industrie's and such large armies at home as, well as overseas as are Contemplated in the figures that have been put before us tq-day.” ( .Mr. J., A- Lee (Dem. Lab., Grey JLjmn) said it Was nonsense to pretend that we were helping our boys over-, sfeas by maintaining the division in placfes .yvhete casualties were beyond bur t , replacement capacity and by maintaining it constantly in action. His, experience was that soldiers were happibr for a spell after action. Mbte Workers Needed jR l 4fefrin‘g to the comment by the Leader 6f the Opposition on factories working little more than 40 hours a Wept, Mr. Lfee said that many factory Workers Were refusing overtime bgcaUse men Were occupied with tiresomfe and boresome Home Guard iiMdes.,;. . ” .. Ah Opposition member: And nreWhen the African campaign was fended, the New Zealand Division ShbUld be brought-back to, serve in tjie Paglfic, continued ML Lee. When the ,pr'esfent campaign. Was ended the division should be rested, not reinforced, Until it was possible to bring tnem bb'6k.,,;. .. - , “We EedUlre 10,000 to 12,000 additfdhkl workers, in various industries in prdir to- meet -present arid irrifnedi-. ately .'anticipated commitments,” said the,. Minister pf Supply!, the Hon. D. & Sullivan. ,He had done his best to se’d that Ml the Wheat required was: grown, jn .the cotihtry.. The farmers bail ,d6ne : well iri responding to the ’appeal's l of the. Government. The 'aS»ed|e l: hpd been increased and in-; creases wfere going on from season to season. No chances had been taken,: hoWe'vdr, ip. respect to a wheat shortage. Uriel on two occasions, he had purchased .wheat from Australia. One purchase whs of 1,000,000 bushels and the.other of 1,250,000 bushels. This wheat ■ Was mainly for reserves. Mr. Sullivan said that an industrial survey bod been made and was still being rirnde. As far as the criticism of hours was concerned, he explained that many .essential industries were wbtkfng long hours. The hours ranged in some industries from 40 to 50 a week.. There were many, complex problems, in respect to hours. It was riot possible to extend all hours to 48 a Week. A Chpable committee had the prdblem constantly under review, but complexiti'es still existed. Hours were extended in industries where difficulties were-pot created by. the change.