LABOUR TRANSFER

Grey River Argus, 17 March 1942, Page 2

LABOUR TRANSFER

FOR URGENT DEFENCE WORK.

P.A. WELLINGTON, March 16. Steps concerning the increased mobility of labour power in the Dominion were announced by Mr Semple concerning the transfer of labour to centres where urgent defence work is necessary. In some centres, said Mr Semple, the amount of labour available locally is not always sufficient to carry, out the work with the required expedition. Urgent work of this nature would be necessary as occasion arose, and steps must be taken to transfer male and female labour from other parts of the Dominion to centres where labour is required. In some cases, the work may be of a semi-permanent nature, but as a general rule it will be for limited periods only, possibly only a few weeks or months. The provision of accommodation must be arranged in advance, and married men transferred for temporary work could not take their families with theni. Suitable accommodation must also be found for transferred female labour. To ascertain what facilities are available, the W.W.S.A. had undertaken to make a house-to-house survey in the first centres selected, and members of the Auxiliary would call on householders in the near future, the latter being requested to co-operate by making known these facilities and their willingness to take one or more boarders. In view of the national importance of these works, people would realise their duty to provide accommodation wherever possible. This voluntary assistance was essential to produce the quickest results in the national interests.