INVESTIGATION INTO ABSENTEEISM

Southland Times, Issue 24986, 24 February 1943, Page 3

INVESTIGATION INTO ABSENTEEISM

Munitions Factories

(Special) DUNEDIN, February 23. An investigation of absenteeism in munitions factories is being carried out in the South Island by Dr R. Winterbourn, lecturer in education at Canterbury University College, who has undertaken the work on behalf of the industrial psychology division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. '

Dr Winterbourn, who has been conducting inquiries in Dunedin during the last three weeks, said today that the Government had taken notice of the criticism levelled by various organizations relating to the question and was now investigating the position throughout New Zealand. The objective of the division, he said, was to carry out in New Zealand work similar to that undertaken in England during the last war in relation to industrial psychology and continued there ever since. The subject had never been really seriously tackled in New Zealand. From investigations carried out already in Christchurch and Dunedin, Dr Winterbourn said, there was no doubt that the problem of absenteeism in engineering factories varied considerably from firm to firm. Such absenteeism as did exist, however, was not insurmountable.

At the present time less absenteeism was being experienced in factories than at any other time of the year, the secretary of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association, Mr F. L. Hitchens, said when discussing the situation in industry. Until Easter it would be found that employees would apply themselves assiduously to their tasks. The Easter holidays afforded workers a final spell before the approach of winter with_ its unknown calls on their physical resistance and they were keen, therefore, not to lose either time or wages.