ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1945, Page 8

ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY

MANUFACTURERS’ PROTEST• PIECEMEAL REMOVAL OF DECLARATIONS. DUNEDIN, June 25. Concern at the possibility of increased staff difficulties, with a consequent split in them ranks, as a result of the apparent intention on the part of the National Service Department to release some firms from theii’ essential category was expressed at a meeting of the OtagoSouthland Manufacturers’ Association to-night. The general view taken was “all or none,” the fear being expressed that any firm whose operations many now be designated as non-essential would be at the mercy of either the manpower officers or the circumstances governing the staffing of the still essential industries.

The chairman (Mr. G. W. Lane) said the matter was raised because in the last couple of days several firms had been asked by the National Service Department to make a snap decision—by June 29, he believed —on the point whether they should continue to be classed as essential.

The secretary (Mr. F. L. Hitchens) explained the position of those firms that had received letters from the department, and said the expression of opinion was desired as a guide to some action being taken. If only a few firms were released he thought it would be unfair and unjust, and would almost certainly cause a split in the ranks.

Half a dozen speakers vigorously propounded the “all or none” idea, on the grounds that factories that relinquished their essential status might lose the whole of their staff overnight to some essential undertaking. When the suggestion was made that a request for retention of the essential status might look like agreeing to perpetuation of Socialist principles in the labour market, Mr. Hitchens remarked that the whole thing looked like a trap, and placed the ' association in a “tight spot.” For two years they had stumped the country and asked for removal of the distinction between industries, and now they wanted it retained unless a clean sweep was made. The meeting unanimously approved of a protest being made against any piecemeal removal of industires from the essential category, and agreed that all industries should be released or none.