ESSENTIAL WORK

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3283, 2 July 1943, Page 5

ESSENTIAL WORK

INDUSTRY & PRODUCTION DIRECTING MANPOWER WORK OF THE PAEROA OFFICE At an interview with Mr R. W. Chappell, District Manpower Officer. Paeroa, the position was revealed that throughout the district under the Manpower Officer s control, 1031 peisons have been directed to essential work, of which 17 directions have been voluntarily withdrawn, and a total of 1014 registrants for work of National importance have proceeded to the essential war work to which they have been directed. Of this number, only two appeal:- have been lodged, and these appeals weie not by the persons directed, but by the employers. The appeals were heard before the Industrial Manpower Committee and dismis-ed.

This result is most gratifying and is a splendid effort on the part of the civilians to New Zealand’s war effort, revealing the trend of the individual to be moved into the machinery of war industry and production. The district administered by Mr R. M . Chappell covers five counties, and it is certainly with some surprise that there has been such an excellent movement on the home front from this area. The number of persons directed includes approximately 170 men who have been manpowered from the Army to industry in accordance with their qualifications, and also includes quite a percentage of females who have answered the call into war production, covering factories in essential work, departments of the State where men have been replaced in order that they may enter the Armed Forces and into munition and armament industry. These excellent results not onlyshow credit to the persons concerned, but also to the efficient and intelligent manner in which the staff of the District Manpower Office have enthusiastically tackled the problem under the control of Mr R. W. Chappell, whereby every reasonable endeavour has been made not to disrupt the carrying on of reasonably essential service required and in the interests of the community.

A tremendous amount of contact work has been carried out, which must be obvious to achieve such an excellent result, and Mr Chappell has advised that the movement of persons into esseential work is at present averaging approximately 120 persons per month, which it is anticipated, will be sustained in view- of further interview work ami concentration in order that the qualifications of persons who have been required to register for work of national importance can be fitted into New Zealand’s war effort for the production of arms, munitions, and food requirements necessary in order that the armed forces may be fully maintained, and the citizen can still obtain reasonable essential service. The District Manpower Officer advised that the attitude of the employer, as well as the registrant, has been one which has allowed the administration of his department to proceed in '.he interests of i trial mobilisation in a smooth man-

The Hauraki Plains Gazette desires to extend to Mr R. W. Chappell, District Manpower Officer, and the stall under his control, congratulations on the result shown, and would assure the department that readers fully appreciate the problems which arise, and the reasonable manner with which they are dealt.