State Employees And Territorial Training

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 265, 7 November 1941, Page 7

State Employees And Territorial Training

REPLACEMENT QUESTION

The phrase, ‘ ‘ tne Buoiie berviee Commissioner emphasises that there is no replacement avanaoie,” was commenced on oy memoers ox the No. DA Manpower committee at a sitting in Baimerston iNortn on Wednesday wnen tne nearing of an appeal by the Director Ox National berviee, in association with the Department of Scientific anu Indurtrial xtesearen, was lodged in respect ox a clerk. The grounds xor the appeal were pu'blic interest. 'The pnraso was used in a letter from the x-'uuiic berviee oommissioner.

Mr. j. C. Young, a member of the Manpower Committee, commented that it was an almost incredible situation that the Public berviee Commissioner could not replace a clerk who, in beptemoer, 1940, Was receiving less than *3 10s a week.

The chairman (Mr. T. L. beddon), after evidence had oeen presented oy Mr. E. Bruce Levy, Director ox tne Orrassalnds Division, in which reservist is employed, remarked that there was always a reluctance to depart from established routine. In peacetime this was a good thing, but in times of war we had to put up with all sorts ox makeshixts.

Mr. Young: There are thousands of cases whicn do not come oeiore us at all in whicn people go to very great inconvenience througu the calling up of reservists.

Mr. Levy said that the Grasslands Division would be xaced with serious inconvenience. He had decided to appeal for only some men, and this was one.

The chairman said the committee did not wish to comment on tne bringing forward of appeals by the btate. However, some dimcuity rested in tne words of the Public berviee Commissioner—whether he meant that no persons at all could be found to replace the reservist or whether no other person, was available who had reservist's special qualifications.

The committee reserved its decision.