LABOUR COMMITTEE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21946, 14 February 1946, Page 6

LABOUR COMMITTEE

CONFERENCE PLANS TOBACCO SHORTAGE The monthly meeting of the Gisborne Labour Representation Committee was held in the Security Buildings on Monday evening. Mr. W. Harnett presided over a large attendance of members. Members were informed that the divisional area council meeting, which had been postponed in November, would take place on March 3 at the Gisborne Borough Council chambers. Delegates will be present from Waipawa, Hawke's Bay, Napier. Gisborne, and the Bay of Plenty electorates. It is hoped that Mr. A. E. Armstrong, M.P., Napier, and Mr. E. T. Cullen. M.P., Hawke's Bay, will be able to address a public meeting at the conclusion of the conference. Many important remits are set down for consideration. The Gisborne delegates will be Messrs. E. Tucker and F. A. Herkt. Considerable discussion took place on the tobacco question, and when the matter was referred to Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., who was present at the meeting, he stated that lie could not do otherwise than reiterate the statement made by the Minister of Supply, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, that the shortage was entirely due to .the shortage of female labour. As there had been many requests from Muriwai for members to hold a meeting there, with the object of forming a branch, i.t was decided to convene a meeting at an early date. A motion of condolence was conveyed to the relatives of the late Mr. G. R. Whiting, and it was decided also to send a letter of sympathy to Mr. P. S. Hansen, who is an inmate of the Cook Hospital as .the- result of an accident.