WOOL STORES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24749, 24 November 1943, Page 4

WOOL STORES

LABOUR SHOBTAGE failure of directions A statement that the labour position in the Auckland wool stores was becoming worse and that the manpower officer was meeting increasing difhculties in filling the requirements was made by the manpower officer's representative, Mr. W. A. Leggett, at a sitting of the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee yesterday. The case before the committee was one in which Eric Frank Paekwood, a law clerk (Mr. Ford), appealed against being directed to the Woolbiokers Association. "The labour position in the wool stores is becoming progressively more serious," said Mr. Leggett. Of the appeals which have come before the committee following directions to the stores, the manpower office has had only 50 per cent success. In making our directions we had worked our numbers on the hope that we would get 80 or 85 per cent of the people directed. "The difficulties that have been brought to bear by employers whose staff has been directed have been such that we have not been able to get the yield we had hoped for," said Mr. Leggett. "Coming at a time when most employers urgently need their workers, these cases are very difficult to handle." Paekwood, who is 19, was released from the Army last April. He said he suiieivd from dermatitis and had been advised by a doctor to avoid exeitiou to his hands. He thought#that labouring would be prejudicial to bis health. Decision was reserved until Paekwood received a clearance from the doctor.

Another case heard by the committee was one in which Auto Jnvestments, Limited, Auto Finance Company, Limited, and J'uatangata Lime Company, Limited (Mr. llaynes), appealed against the transfer of Miss M. L.* Kobb, a sborthand-typiste, to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited. The appellants proceeded on the grounds of staff shortage. ".Miss Robb is required by the wool store as a sborthand-typiste," said Mr. Leggett. "Not only do the stores require men, but they must have clerical workers." The appeal was dismissed.

STUDENT TEACHERS (RESTRICTION ON MEN PROTEST FROM HAWKE'S BAY (0.C.) ' HASTINGS. Tuesday A protest against the action of the Department of" Education in directing that not more than one-third of its applicants for admission to the training college next year" be "men was entered by the Hawke's Bay Education Board, which will also obtain a legal opinion as to whether the department has authority to determine the "percentage of men and women applying. The chairman, Mr. G. A. MadSison, pointing out that the Hawke's Bay quota next year was 61 and that 6*o women and 35 men* had applied for admission, said that the education board was going to be blamed for rejecting some of the finest young men from the teaching profession. Men were? deprived of the freedom of going into the profession because of regimentation. "Surely, in building up a new nation, we will require the best men and more men," he said. "In many country schools there is no place for women, and the department is making it more difficult to get men. Because of this direction of the department we are deprived of the advances of men who show much promise, and these men are deprived of the right to follow their chosen calling. Whether men or women, the very best should be selected and we should have that right." Mr. H. S. M. Quigley stated that the average teaching life of a woman was three vears.

Mr. W. W. Bird : We should go'further and tell the department to make its own selection. It is impossible to choose men on that basis. Some girls get married while at training college. Mr. J. 0. Musgrave: Has the department the right under the regulations to do this?

Mr. Maddison: The department determines the number, but whether they determine the percentage I do not know. We will get a opinion on the point and will protest to other boards by telegram. I feel that these men are going to be penalised. It is one of the most unfair things I hare come across.

The board also decided in the meantime to ask the selection committee to allow its selection to remain, irrespective of the department's direction, and to let the selection be based solelv on merit.

DOLLAR BILLS STOLEN BARMAN ,SENT TO. GAOL (0.c.) _ WELLINGTON, Tuesday Gaol sentences totalling nine months were -imposed bv Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., on Francis John Hobbs, barman, aged 40, who pleaded guilty to steaSins an overcoat valued at £8 8s in Wellington, £4 in Auckland, and a 20-dollar bill, a 10-dollar bill and a 5-dollar bill in Auckland.

Detective-Sergeant Thompson said accused apparently thought he could earn a better living by stealing than by working. He was discharged from prison in Canterbury after servinc four months for theft, and came to "Wellington, where he stole the coat. He sold it to a second-hand dealer tor £2. He went to Auckland and obtained work as a barman, and when he was given a 20-dollar bill for drinks he stole the biH and took another £1 out of the till. The other American money was received by him for the purchase of whisky for servicemen. Ho cleared out with the monev.

MUNICIPAL GUILD The formation of a municipal works j guild comprising local body engineers i in the Auckland metropolitan area who have been associated in the E.P.S. organisation over the past few years was commended by the Otahuhu * Borough Council at its meeting on Monday night. A report on the proposal was presented by the borough engineer, Mr. S. A una bell. He stated that when meeting zone officers under the emergency precautions service many problems of common interest to the engineers and their local authorities had come to their notice. It was decided to try to form an organisation to carry out a scheme of co-operation on matters of local interest, but the Auckland City Council engineer was unable to support the idea and the guild would have no representative from that authority. PRISON FOR THEFT Three charges involving the theft of £56 were brought against a Maori, Mei Hunia Takarangi, labourer, aged 28, before Mr. J. Morling, S.M.. yesterday. Senior-Detective Walsh said' accused had been disturbed when making a fourth attempt at theft from the same premises and had escaped bv the fire escape. He had 23 previous ' convictions, the majority fo r theft. Accused was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. The theft of £7 15s 6d was admitted by a Maori, Andrew Bidois, butcher, figcd 21. Accused was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.