FREEZING WORKS NEAR AUCKLAND

Southland Times, Issue 25537, 4 December 1944, Page 4

FREEZING WORKS NEAR AUCKLAND

DIRECTED MEN FAIL TO REPORT (Special) AUCKLAND, Dec. 2. The failure of hundreds of men to obey manpower directions to report for work in the freezing industry has created difficulties in the works around Auckland this week. It was stated that of all the men who had been directed to start in the industry during the last week or two no more than 50 pei' cent, had put in an appearance. The season was just beginning, and heavy requisitions for labour were made recently, said a representative of the industry at Westfield. The seasonal intake of labour at the works, was to have started on November 21, and a requisition was made for some hundreds of men. Notices to the effect that men had been directed to start on certain days were received from the manpower authorities, but the men came forward in disappointing numbers. » Up to November 29 a requisition had been made for 337 men, but only 171 had reported for work, said the speaker. Many of the men directed had previously worked in the industry and had been released to work, elsewhere during the slack period. There had been a similar experience with the supply of labour at the Southdown works, where about 300 men were wanted. Less than 100 of them have reported for duty. Difficulties were also expected there if an improvement in the provision of labour did not take place almost immediately. A representative of the National Service Department said that every effort was being made by the department to meet the position, and it was expected that it would be satisfactorily dealt with in a few days.