Delay In Releasing Manpower For Farms

Northern Advocate, 24 November 1943, Page 4

Delay In Releasing Manpower For Farms

(Rec. 11 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. Delay by the Australian army in releasing men for the Federal Government's manpower requirements has been strongly criticised at a meeting of the full Cabinet. Three Ministers, Messrs. Forde (Army), Holloway (Labour) and Makin (Munitions), have been appointed to investigate the delay. The Minister for Commerce (Mr Scully) is believed to have warned the Cabinet that the whole of the Government’s primary production scheme was being jeopardised by the delay. Government officials state that-unless a big proportion of the 15,GOO.soldiers required for the rural industry are made available within the next fortnight, many crops will be lost. Wheat and potato crops, it is stated are nearly ready for. harvesting, while blowflies are becoming a serious menace to sheep in many districts. Although the Government decided on October 1 to have 20,000 men released from the army at a rate of 2000 monthly, only a handful of men are believed tos> have been made available so far.- Some political commentators place the number as low as 200. . ’.A... A . In New South Wales alone more than 3000 applications for agricultural manpower assistance have be#Ti approved, but few have been granted. Army headquarters has denied to the Minister for the Army (Mr Forde) that “moral suasion” is being used to prevent men leaving the services. Mr Forde said he was satisfied that the army authorities were doing all they could to hasten the discharges recommended by the manpower authorities.