MAN-POWER AND PRODUCTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25454, 8 February 1944, Page 4

MAN-POWER AND PRODUCTION

Sir, —During the past few months it has been impossible to avoid seeing constant reference made by spokesmen of the Government, production councils, and the general public to the alarming decrease in production—particularly farm production. This decrease is due primarily—though there are secondary causes—to shortage of man-power. The problem Is one of such urgency that one would expect the Government immediately to make available any possible source of man-power. Instead of this, we see such cases as that referred to by “ George ’’ in his letter of February 3 —the case of a man sent to a defaulter’s camp for the duration while his dairy herd goes out of production. There are many farmers amongst the 700 men in defaulters’ camps. In fact, most of them are skilled men whose services in one direction or another were of benefit to the community. Now they are engaged —the majority of them—on unproductive work, work which has to be found for them, rather than work which is needed. Many of them have been there over two years. Most of them have been there at least a year. According to a report a few days ago from America, 1948 is the year of victory over Japan, and that, of course, is not certain and may be optimistic. Are these men to remain debarred from usefulness to the community for that period of years? In Britain they do not have defaulters’ camps, and the majority of those objecting to military service are directed to teaching, agricultural or welfare work, or some other form of service to the community as a condition of exemption. —I am, etc., M. B. February 7.