P.W. Employees Must Take Seasonal Work When Required

Northern Advocate, 17 November 1938, Page 6

P.W. Employees Must Take Seasonal Work When Required

[Special to “Northern Advocate.’’] WAIROA, This Day.

The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, announced yesterday a new policy to ensure that shearers and other seasonal workers are not employed on public works when their services are required in primary industries.

“No privilege will be lost by public works employees who leave jobs to follow seasonal occupations,” Mr Semple said. “Their services are required for the maintenance of primary production, and it is our duty to see that their work is carried out in the best interests of the Dominion as a whole.” Mr Semple said it had been the policy of the department to find work for men like shearers during the slack seasons. Services Available to Farmers When the demand for seasonal labour again arose, the Government and the department expected those men to make their services available to farmers. “We expect these men to respond to the call to go back to seasonal work and to assist in the efficient conduct of industries which cannot carry on sufficiently without labour. The Alternative “If the men concerned do not take advantage of this offer voluntarily,” added Mr Semple, “I shall simply give instructions to the engineers that men who are required lor seasonal work and who refused to take it are to be immediately discharged. We must have man power for the primary industries of the country.” The Minister added that the same argument applied to the building trade. Many builders were required to work at their trade on public works, but In other cases builders were working as ordinary labourers merely to secure continuity of employment. Such men would be required to accept building work whenever it was offering on the same conditions as those arranged for seasonal workers in primary industries.