KARAPIRO WORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24955, 26 July 1944, Page 4

KARAPIRO WORKS

CARPENTERS NEEDED UNSATISFACTORY RESPONSE Progress at the Karapiro hydro-electric project is .still being retarded through lack of skilled carpenters. Although many men have been directed, to the works from Auckland only a comparative few have started. A large percentage of appeals resulted from the directions.^ In the Auckland manpower district the requisitions, made in May, were for 60 carpenters-in June and a further 40 in Julv. It was emphasised that the work at Karapiro was of national importance, and when the directions were made , the necessity for completing the project as early as possible was stressed, in the hope of obtaining at least TOO carpenters, the National Service Department in Auckland directed about 140 from other jobs which were considered to be less important. Only have started. All Grade 1 Men All the carpenters directed to Karapiro from jobs in Auckland were grade 1 men who had been withheld from the Arniv for important national building construction. Practically all the employers from whom the men were transferred exercised their right of appeal against the directions and many of the men lodged personal appeals, i his caused delay in filling the vacancies. Although all the men directed were classed as grade 1 for military purposes, a number produced medical certificates stating that they were unfit to do the work at Karapiro. Other's appealed for a variety of reasons. The manpower officer, Mr C. G. ». Ellis, said yesterday that the Karapiro project was regarded as being of firstclass priority among the building construction works in New Zealand. It was known that heavy demands on the elecj trie-power supply services made it imj perative that the new hydro-electric scheme should bo pushed ahead as rapidly as possible, and this was taken into consideration when the relative importance of the other jobs on which the men were engaged was judged. About 80 Still Required The works from which the men had been taken covered all classes of building, except defence construction. A few were taken from State housing, some from private housing and reconditioning work, and some from store jobs and warehouse construction. Care was taken in choosing the men so that the vacancies at Karapiro could 1 be filled quickly, but considerable difficulty had been met, said Mr Ellis. About 80 carpenters were still desperately needed on the scheme. "If these men had not been needed for defence building work in New Zealand earlier in the war, they would most certainly have gone into the Army," said Mr Ellis. "The onc_ condition on which they were retained in civilian life was that they should do the work that the country required of them iu their own trade! The employers for whom they were retained must appreciate that. Now that the men are needed and the call has been made, the response is far from satisfactory." .Mr Kllis added that, a number of the men who had returned from the Pacific for essential work had gone to Karapiro.

COMMITTEE'S ATTITUDE MANY KEY MEN DIRECTED When appeals against the direction of carpenters to the Karapiro hydro-elec-tric works were considered by the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee yesterday., the chairman, Mr J. 0. Liddell, said the committee had been perturbed some time ago at the number of finishing hands and foremen directed. It considered that more ordinary carpenters should go in their place. However, it was understood that the policy of the manpower officer was to direct men who were grade 1 medically and held on appeal from the Army. Where an employer 'felt that a direction was depriving him of a man essential for special work, such as housing, the manpower officer would, as far as possible, endeavour to replace the man, the chairman added. The survey recently made of those matters would be taken into account in making decisions.

DOMINION OFFICERS ACTIVITIES IN NORMANDY (Special Correspondent) LONDON, July 24 Squadron-Loader W. F. Jordan, son of the High Commissioner for New Zear land, has been mentioned in despatches. He is senior signals officer to an air group in Normandy, where he landed shortly after the invasion. He did good work maintaining signals.

BIG CONVOY ATTACKED ENEMY SHIPPING LOSSES (Special Correspondent) LONDON, July 24 The New Zealand Beaufighter torpedobomber squadron took part on Friday in an attack against a convoy of 40 enemy ships off Heligoland, one of the largest convoys attacked in this war. Four merchant ships were hit by torpedoes and live escort ships were left, burning furiously. Several other escorts were hit by cannonshell and rocket projectiles, and practically every ship in the convoy was raked by cannonshell.

Flight-Lieutenant Harry Davidson, Kotorua, who was among the New Zealauders in the attack, said : "Three vessels were enveloped in a thick cloud of black .smoke, with tongues of vivid Ha mo leaping high into the air. Then, as we coursed for the base, one of tliem blew up. I think the torpedo must have reached her boilers, a.s steam shot 200 ft into the air." One pilot returned with 50yds of steel cable from a parachute rocket wrapped round his wing.