MANPOWER ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24851, 24 March 1944, Page 4

MANPOWER ISSUE

FORCES AND INDUSTRY UNFAIR CRITICISM ALLEGED (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Thursday "The Opposition had the opportunity of hearing the full facts of the manpower position and to learn first-hand from the chiefs of the services the country's military situation in secret session from time to time, yet it has not prevented Opposition members talking inside and outside the House about what they call the manpower muddle, said tho Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in the Finance Bill debate in the House of Representatives this atternThe Minister said that little .was heard from the Opposition except irresponsible references to a manpower muddle and alleged waste and ineftciency, yet every member knew the true position. Every member knew also how much he should say publicly for security reasons. He (Mr. like to give more information publicly but security did not always permit this. 17,000 Released in Six Months There was a cry for more manpower for industry, the Minister continued, but the public should know that a process of combing out had been going on for a long time. In the last six months, for example, 14,000 men had been released from the armed forces for industry and subsequently another oUUU. These, together with men returned from overseas, totalled 34,000 released to industry. In addition the Middle East and Pacific divisions had been fully maintained and a very large number" of men had been supplied to the Air Force and the Navy. It was not right that members or the Opposition, knowing the full position, should go out and throw doubts in tho minds of the people and of the men overseas that the Dominion was not doing its part at home while they were doing theirs. Mr. K. J. Holyoake (Opposition— Paliiatua): Does the Minister suggest that we cannot do better?

Women in the Forces Much unfair criticism had been made of the women serving with the armed forces, said Mr. Jones. Critics did not seem to have an appreciation of the work they were doing- There were over 3200 in the Air Force, employed as cooks, bakers and mess orderlies. Some were the wives of men serving overseas. These women had two breaks in duty during the daytime and their presence in the streets in uniform in these hours aroused unfavourable comment from uninformed people. Valuable work was also done in the clerical sections and the technical trades.. Members might not realise that all these women were filling jobs that otherwise would require men. Instead of criticism from the Opposition and others the girls should receive praise and credit. Mr. W. S. Goosman (Opposition— Waikato): We do not criticise the girls but the administration. The Minister said that critics alleged that the girls were loafing, which was untrue. Xew Zealand had to maintain an efficient Air Force and had been geared up for that purpose. In regard •to training establishments and operational squadrons, splendid work bad been done. CIVIC POLICY REVIEW BY THE MAYOR THE PAST THREE YEARS "The City Council and I can fairly claim that we have fully lived up to the promises we made three years ago, and we hope you will put us back into office," said the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, in concluding an address on the retiring council's record and policy to a meeting of supporters of the Citizens and Ratepayers' Association "in the Epsom Library Hall last night. Mr. D. Hay presided and about 50 people were present. , The council had fulfilled its promise to keep party politics out of its affairs, ! said Mr. Allum. All decisions had been made in open council, there had been no caucus rule, and all meetings, including those of committees, had been open to I every councillor. I In sketching the city's difficulties 1 during tlie period of possible Japanese attack, the Mayor praised the readiness with which the citizens had accepted quick and sometimes arbitrary action by the civic authorities, and the ready co-operation that had been given. He also referred to the many problems raised by the arrival of American forces and expressed his view that, although some matters even now could not be dealt with until the council obtained the wider powers it was seeking, Auckland had come through, on the whole, very well. In its own operations, the City Council had been hampered by a shortage •of manual and technical manpower, and by difficulties over material and plant, but in two years its works department had been responsible for spending more than £650.000, including civil defence construction. Essential _ water supply and drainage work, including the £510,000 Lower Nihotupu water extension scheme, was being carried on, and £20,000 had been set aside last year for overtaking general maintenance arrears when the opportunity came. A large programme of post-war development works, including streets, traffic outlets, drainage, slum clearance and housing, was being prepared, and would be carried out in co-ordination with national rehabilitation schemes.

THE LABOUR PARTY NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES The nominations of candidates to contest seats on behalf of the Labour Party at the local body elections were placed before the annual meeting of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee last night. The secretary of the committee, Mr. T. P. McCready, stated that the nominations would be examined early next month by the selection committee and at a later meeting a ballot would be held for the selection of the candidates. TAUMARUNUI MAYORALTY RETIREMENT OF MR. BOLES (0.C.) TAUMARUNUI. Thursday At a Borough Council meeting Mr. 0. A. Boles announced his retirement from the Mayoralty after serving four years as a councillor and 15 years as Mayor. Mr. W. A. Campbell, deputy-Mayor, has decided to stand for the Mayoralty.

HIGHER PAY PROPOSED APPLICATION TO COURT An application for the ratification of an agreement to certain alterations to the existing award between the Auckland Transport Board and the Auckland Transport Board's Maintenance Officers' Union was heard by the Arbitration Court yesterday. The main alteration was a proposed increase of 7s a week in the wages of certain foremen and a storekeeper, and an increase of 8s 3d in the wages of an assistant storekeeper. The union secretary. Mr. Arthur Rosser, pointed out that the increase in the foremen's wages would bring them up to the amount paid under the award to the engineers' shop foreman. Ho said the discrepancy was a result of the engineers' shop foreman at one time exercising supervision over the entire maintenance work. It was felt that the matter should receive the attention which it had not been given in the past, said the chairman of the board, Mr. \V. H. Nagle. The Court had refused other applications for increased wages by workers, to which employers had agreed, paid Mr Justice Tvndall, and it had to be careful not to treat workers differently. The Court had to be satisfied there was an anomaly. Decisiorb was- reserved.