The Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1941. Mr Semple—and Mr Semple

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 266, 8 November 1941, Page 6

The Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1941. Mr Semple—and Mr Semple

Yesterday the cables reported that Hon. Walter Nasi told an audience in Sydney that neither Australia nor New Zealand appeared to realise the full implications of the war. Yesterday Hon. Robert Semple as Minister of National Service told the people of New Zealand that married men would be called up for overseas service early in the New Year. Yesterday Hon. Robcit Semple us Minister for Railways successfully appealed lor exemption lrom military service of a tll-year-olu unmarried railway porter with three years’ experience in his job.

Mr. Semple sent one of his assistant traffic managers to implore the appeal Hoard to release this young man from his obligations to ugnt for his country because “it was necessary to keep a trained staff not only lor the running of the ordinary services but also to provide for any emergency which might arise such as the running of troop trains and the like.”

The case of the 21-year-old unmarried man who is so essential to the efficient running of the railways will, of course, not be an isolated one. There are hundreds ol young unmarried porters engaged on the railways throughout New Zealand, and, we presume, all or most of them are to be appealed for_ by the Minister of Railways, and the Minister of National Service will back their appeals, wnile the Minister of Finance will continue to tell the worm that New Zealand does not appear to realise the full implications of the war.

Apparently it has not occurred to the Minister of Railways —or tile Minister of National Service —that the railways themselves could stand a little overhauling. Every other industry in the country—that is, every industry run by private enterprise—and every farm in the country—has been compelled by the Minister of National Service to reorganise from top to bottom in order to release men to play their part in defending their country and Empire. Hut a 21-year-old unmarried porter must stay on his job. There is to be no cutting down of the railway services so tnat men can be released for the defence of their country.

Is every service that the railways of this country arc rendering at the moment absolutely essential to our all-in war effort ? Our national leaders are warning us almost daily of the grave dangers the country is facing—dangers that have become more imminent and more menacing during the past few weeks. But the railways must coutiuue to run on full-time peace schedules. Are race trains essential to an all-in war effort? Do Sunday excursions play an essential part in winning the war? j

Surely the Railway Department has sufficient resource and adaptability to depart from its peacetime routine and so reorganise its services that ablebodied young unmarried men who are anxious to serve their country can be released for military service. Anyway, is a porter’s job so all-important that he could not be replaced either by older men or young women? This inability or refusal on the part of the Railway Department to make a serious attempt to alter its routine does not set a very good example to the rest of the community, especially when employers, even in essential industries, are labouring under so many disadvantages in endeavouring on seriously depleted staffs to keep up production.

One of the worst features of the war effort in New Zealand is the timid and unbusinesslike manner in which the manpower problem is being tackled. The public has been informed at frequent intervals that a Manpower Committee has been studying the problem and has prepared, or is preparing, a report. Has the report been presented or is it still in process of incubation? Is the Government earnestly and courageously facing tbe problem? Or is it just letting things drift and taking the line of least resistance— a line that will do a grave injustice to thousands of married men while thousands of single men remain in civilian jobs?

We suggest that the Minister of National Service go into a huddle with the Minister of Railways and produce a scheme which will not set such a bad example as the Railways Department is doing when the nation is being urged to get into top gear for victory, and when the Minister of Finance is telling the world that we do not appear to realise .the full implications of the war.