BUTCHERS' STAFFS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25160, 24 March 1945, Page 8

BUTCHERS' STAFFS

SERIOUS DEPLETION APPEALS BY EMPLOYERS "So serious is our present staff position that, we are brought to a point where each unit of our labour is handline 51 per cent more than the average handled before," said Mr J. Hellabv, in appealing against the mobilisation of 1/ members of the retail butchery staff of R. and VV. Holla by, Ltd., before the No. I Armed Forces Appeal Board last evening. The shops had st;Uis totalling 101), compared, with 132 but ore the war and were meeting a demand 25 per cent greater. The company had been unable even to replace normal wastage of labour. Rationing added to the difficulties. Butcher shop work had been found not suitable for women, added Mr Hellabv. The firm had had seven women, but in spite of efforts to obtain more there were now only two. Youth labour was also short. Before the war an average of 15 youths leaving school was taken on, but this year there was only one new boy. Ninot.v-nino men had been mobilised Irom the shop;;, but of '2-5 released only 12 rejoined the company, continued Mr Hellabv. They appeared to have gone into other trades or had been passed into the freezing industry, where the demand was pressing. Similar evidence was given by Mr G. I<\ Lane, appealing for 15 of the Auckland Meat Co.'s retail staff. A goodly number of elderly men who gave up other work or sold their own businesses returned to the trade two or three years ago as a war effort. Many had since had to give up work or attend for only a few days occasionally. Twenty youths had joined the forces since April, 1912, and several more were going in the nest few months. The shortage of workers had been aggravated by the Annual Holidays Act which doubled the men's holidays, laid Mr Lane. Men who had accepted wages in lieu of holidays iti the last two or three years were now so nm down that they needed a holiday. Ihe majority of men from the forces in New Zeiiland and the Pacific had been directed to freezing works and others from the Middle East had started their own businesses. Decisions were reserved in all these appeals. The men included managers, assistant managers and shopmen.