MANPOWER STRAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25053, 17 November 1944, Page 5

MANPOWER STRAIN

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA LABOUR FOR INDUSTRIES SYDNEY, Nov. 16 A statement of Australia's wartime manpower position in relation to the current war position was made in the Federal Parliament by the deputyPrime Minister, Mr F. M. Forde. Mr Forde said that Australia had to provide forces to fight Japan, to contribute on an agreed basis to the needs of the American and British forces in the Pacific and provide food for Britain. At the same time Australia had to maintain the basic industries and services which supported the direct war effort and provide for essential requirements of the whole of the civil population. There was a gap in the civil manpower budget of 37,700 men and 9900 women, and thus Australia must concentrate her limited manpower supplies in those employments which would contribute most to the total war effort. The Government and the War Council had approved the recommendations of the production execiitive and the war commitments committee for the allocation of 81,650 men and 156,000 women to essential civil employment. After provision had been made for the major beneficiaries —the rural industry and housing—3o,2so men and 134,000 women remained for allocation. Industries to which men and women would be directed were aircraft production, ship repairing, transport. Government departments, public utilities, health and hospital services. For the relief of shortages in a wide range o.f civilian supplies 9000 men- and 5000 women were to be provided. Mr Forde said it had been decided that the special release of 45,000 men from the services should to the greatest extent practicable be nominated or annroved by the DirectorGeneral of Manpower. CHICAGO AIR TALKS ORAL AGREEMENTS REACHED (Reed. 8.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov.' 15 Further progress has been made in reconciling the British, American and Canadian viewpoints at the Chicago aviation conference. It is authoritatively stated that agreements have been, reached orally and are now being drafted for final review. It is hoped that the remaining difficulties will be quickly ironed out to enable the conference to end next Wednesday. POLITICS IN EGYPT PARLIAMENT DISSOLVED (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 16 King Farouk has dissolved the Egyptian Parliament, and a general election is to be held in the second week in December. Parliament will reassemble on January 18. Ahmed Maher Pasha, who became Prime Minister five weeks ago, and Nahas Pasha, whom he succeeded, are both busy with election plans. Nahas Pasha, as a test of hie political strength, may contest Maher Pasha's constituency. FRANCO AND PEACE TALKS LONDON, Nov. 15 "I think the Government is wider awake than some people suppose," said the Minister of State, Mr Richard Law, in the House of Commons, replying to Mr Driberg (Independent—Maldon, Essex), who asked for an assurance that the Government would not be deceived by the belated lip service to democracy paid by General Franco and that neither Franco nor any representative of his regime would be invited to participate in discussions on the peace settlement in Europe. Mr Law added: '*' As far as the Government is concerned it sees no reason why any country which has not made a positive contribution to the United Nations' war effort should be represented at the peace conference or at any discussions on the peace settlement." KING TO BROADCAST LONDON, Nov. 15

It is announced from Buckingham Palace that the King will broadcast at 9 p.m. on Sunday, December 3 (9 a.m., December 4, New Zealand time) on the .occasion of the stand-down of the Oaaidt