APPEALS AGAINST DIRECTION

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23111, 27 January 1945, Page 4

APPEALS AGAINST DIRECTION

Industrial Manpower Committee Sitting In Timaru A sitting of the Industrial Manpower Appeal Committee was held in the Timaru Courthouse yesterday. The chairman (Mr K. G. Archer) presided, and associated with him were Messrs P. J. Kelly (employees’ representative) and R. H. Webb (employers’ representative), with Mr W. Jacobson as secretary. The District Manpower Officer (Mr E. R. Winkel) represented the National Service Department. The South Canterbury Power Board (Mr J. M. Bishop) appealed against refusal of permission to transfer R. G. Young from the position of charge hand to that of linesman. The appeal was allowed on the grounds that the Board had made no application on which the Manpower Officer could have made a valid decision.

The chairman said that the committee was of the opinion that the Manpower Officer was therefore acting without jurisdiction in purporting to refuse such permission. If the worker were aggrieved his remedy was to take a civil action In the appropriate Court. In reply to a question by Mr Bishop, the committee intimated that in its opinion the worker was entitled at least to a continuation of his wage, prior to June 5. 1944. by reason of Regulation 13, IM. Whatever might be the effect of the new award, which the committee understood had come into effect on that date, the Manpower Officer’s decision was cancelled. An appeal by the Timaru Gas, Coal and Coke Co.. Ltd. against permission being granted H. J. Clarkson, general labourer, to terminate his employment, was dismissed. The chairman said that although the committee felt some sympathy with the appellant, it was rather doubtful whether the worker had been frank and open with the firm as to his reason for leaving. Second, the Manpower Office had not advised the firm of the reasons Clarkson had been permitted to leave the gasworks. As Clarkson was a journeyman carpenter the committee was of the opinion that the appeal should not be granted, but it was a pity rhat Clarkson had not said openly and frankly the reasons which he wished to return to the carpentry trade.

An appeal by the Timaru Gas, Coal and Coke Co., Ltd. against the direction of J. J. Nevin to E. M. Tozer as a mill cook was also dismissed.

Nursing Service

The following appeals against direction to employment as a member of the Civil Nursing Reserve with the .District Officer of Health, Timaru, were dismissed, the names of the appellants being given in parentheses:— Lyall Dale, library assistant (Timaru Borough Council); Marion Wood, clerk (Marion Wood and the Union Steam Ship Co., Ltd.); Brenda Gaw--Ith, clerk (Mrs J. A. Gawith and District Public Trustee).

A similar appeal in respect to Korita Ramsay, clerk (South Canterbury Power Board) was allowed, but the committee advised the applicant that if the hospital staffing' position re-

mained as urgent as at present a further direction of the worker might be necessary at an early date. Similar appeals by Norma E. Wood, clerk (Norma E. Wood and the Commercial Bank of Australasia, Ltd.) and Alice Leslie Forrest, typist (Mrs A Forrest and the Timaru Worsted and Woollen Co., Ltd.) were allowed. The Linen Flax Factory, Makikihi, appealed against Thelm” Hunt and Rita Fogarty being gran I I permission to terminate their employment. Mr Winkel informed the committee that, as a result of the disastrous effect of the wet season on the linen flax crops, the factory was putting off employees. The position had changed completely since the appeals were lodged, and, consequently, he asked that they be withdrawn. ■The application was granted. An appeal by Morris E. North against direction to the New Zealand Refrigerating Co. Ltd.’s works at Smithfield was withdrawn.