MUST NOT LEAVE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 54, Issue 32620, 12 September 1945, Page 4

MUST NOT LEAVE

MEN HELD ON APPEAL CANNOT TRANSFER JOBS FARM LABOUR POSITION In giving some details of the present manpower situation, Mr R- W. Chappell, District. Manpower Officer, told members of the Thames District Council of Primary Production last week the .position of revised category A men who had been held, on appeal. Appeal boards had ceased their activities, he said. Every man in revised category A who had been held on appeal was being directed by the manpower to stay in his present position. This had been done throughout the district, a large number of directions having been sent out. Its purpose was to prevent these men leaving their jobs to take up better ones which should be available to returned men. Those of these men who had left their jobs, thinking they were able to with the end of the war, must return to them immediately or they would 'be prosecuted. Farm Labour Position A letter from Mr Chappell to the council said that for this season, to date, there had been 31 applications for farm hands to his office. Of this number, 16 had already been tilled, leaving 15 vacancies at present. Of these, 11 farmers required single men, and four, only youths. A number of married men were seeking farming positions, and it was requested that members of the committee notify the manpower office about any known vacancies for married men with accommodation A number of men of the 16th Reinforcements were recently demobilised, and 21 were directed to farming in the Thames area. A further draft of men was 'to be boarded, and it was anticipated that a large number, of these would also be directed to farming. The labour position, said Mr Chappell, was not as bad as last year, which in turn was not as bad as the year before. To a question, Mri Chappell said the district could do with at least 200 more carpenters to provide all sorts of housing. Housing was the problem 'in' the country, agreed 1 Mr C. W. Schultz. Not even board could generally be obtained there.