MANPOWER LIMIT

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1944, Page 3

MANPOWER LIMIT

Reached in Australia

CANBERRA, May _2. Australia has reached the limit of her manpower resources, said the Manpower Directorate spokesman at the conclusion of a three-day conference between the Commonwealth Director-General of Manpower (Mr W. C. Wurth) and the State Deputy Directors. From now on the manpower authorities would have to “juggle” with the remaining units of the country’s labour force. The War Cabinet has received reports from service Chiefs on service manpower. The position, it is understood, is that the only change considered possible is the transfer of recruits from one service to another. The combined services are unable to spare more men than are already being released for the rural industry.

RELIEF FOR BUSINESS CANBERRA, May 2. The easing of business restrictions was promised by the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Forde) at the opening of the annual conference of the x Associated Chambers of Commerce. He said that- a committee had been established in the Attorney-General’s Department to review the wartime regulations, and recommend the removal of those no longer considered necessary for efficient conduct of the war. Unnecessary regulations would be lifted as the war position improved, and in the immediate post-war period. This would be done in reasoned and orderly manner 'to avoid unemployment, economic slump or depression. The president, Sir Marcus Clarke, said the Government by regulation had gone too far, and some who administered those regulations imagined they were dictators. The Government’s taxation ’policy was contrary to its professed expansionist policy for private industry. The need for high taxation in wartime was recognised. but representatives of Australian trade objected to a policy which taxed savagely reserves which had been set aside for maintenance of plant, equipment and buildin- deferred because of the war.