MEETING WAR CONDITIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16674, 19 October 1917, Page 4

MEETING WAR CONDITIONS.

BOOT INDUSTRY ORGANISING. (BY. telegraph.— correspondent.) .) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The question of organising the : boot industry with tho -view": of maintaining the greatest possible efficiency, and at the , same time releasing every eligible man possible,' lias been under consideration by those engaged in the trade for some time. A conference of the executive committee and members of the Boot Manufacturers' Association was recently held in ' Christchurch, and as a result local efficiency committees were appointed in each * centre, each local committee to appoint a representative to a central committee or board meeting in Wellington. The Central Board met in Wellington recently, those present being Messrs. W. Hammill (Auckland), chairman, 11. B. Duckworth (Christchurch), J. D. Rea (Dunedin), and C. J. Ward (Wellington). Tho objects wore defined as follows:—(1) To organiso the boot industry in all labour matters during the war period; (2) to secure unanimity of action for each centre in all appeal cases taken before tho military service boards; (3) to secure an adequate d-V ' tribution of labour with the view of preserving the individual business of each member of the association. Considerable attention was given to matters affecting returned soldiers willing to enter the industry, and a deputation was appointed to interview the Minister responsible. Tho question of the distribution of labour from factory to factory, as may be reouired to enablo manufacturers to keep their factories running, was dealt with, but the co-operation of t',o Operatives' Union will bo necessary to make this effective. Tho Operatives' Union is being negotiated with in this matter.