200 MEN NEEDED

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1943, Page 2

200 MEN NEEDED

AUCKLAND WATERFRONT.

AUCKLAND, May 18

“More than 200 more men are urgently required to swell the ranks ot the Auckland Waterside Workers Union. Applicants must not be tied up in declared 'essential industries, and they must have a clearance from the National Service .Department, said- the acting-waterfront controller, Mr.' Cuthbert. “The men will nave to be capable of all classes of work and only men physically capable ot performing a war effort on the wharves will be considered. “If we take men with military obligations we will not appeal for them unless they nave been six months with us before being gazetted,” said Mr. Cuthbert.. “At present there are 1600 men in the Auckland Union.”

SKILLED TRADESMEN COMBED OUT. AUCKLAND, May 18. With a view; to combing out from the ranks of non-union wharf labourers all men who have trade skill, a complete survey is being undertaken by the manpower division ot the National Service Department in Auckland. A notice instructing the holders of permanent wharf passes lo change their present passes for new ones issued bv the manpower officer, has been posted. “The loss of many skilled men who could fill a useful place in industry is being permitted by the present system of employing non-union labour on the waterfront,” said the Manpower Officer. “A survey, primarily'. of non-union men, is being carried out to ascertain the wastage of skilled manpower, and to divert it ' into channels where it is urgently needed New passes would definitely not be issued to men whose previous trade experience fitted them for industries which needed addition-* al labour. It is estimated that there are nearly 800 permanent ‘seagulls on the Auckland waterfront. They include all types of skilled tradesmen. In addition, 'there are many over whom there has previously been no check. t A preliminary suryev of a number of men showed that 55 per cent, had never registered in accordance with the war emergency regulations.”