VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23258, 20 July 1945, Page 7

VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED

Regional Planning Council i During a discussion on various topic:, j at the meeting of the South Canter- I bury Regional Planning Council yester- | clay, the chairman 'Mr G. Dash' asked the District Manpower Officer (Mr E. It. | Wjnkel), who had delivered an address on Jhe work of the National Service Department, whether he thought there would, be a great deal of unemployment after tho war ps had occurred during the slump following the 1914-18 war. Mr Winkel replied that, personally he did not think that there would be a slump. He thought that Dominion industries jnust expand, and there was a tremendous amount ot work to be carried out by »he Public Works Department and loctu bodies generally, j In fact, to quote oiinstance,, the Borough Council engineer mlormeo I him that, as far as Timaru v-C 5 < f°! l ' I corned, thousands of pounds coin*. be spent in developmental work after fr." I war. Irrespective of what Government 1 was in power, It would do its utmost to I prevent, a slump. Referring to seasonal workers, Mr I Winkel said that he had recently sent out 400 circular letters to men, many of j whom had been employed in the freezing works. They were asked if they had i work to go to and if they desired the i co-operation of the National Service Department in finding employment. It was significant that he had received | fewer than 50 replies, so evidently the | men were having no difficulty in securing work. Mr Winkel mentioned that he had had a number of inquiries regarding the possibility of establishing new industries in Timaru, and the promoters naturally desired an assurance that the necessary labour would be available. Most of the inquiries he bad received had been of the type which would absorb female labour rather than male labour.

In reply to a question regarding women retaining positions formerly held by men, Mr Winkel said that he was not much concerned regarding the matter as the problem was solving itself. Many women in offices and shops were marrying men who had returned from overseas, and in some cases it was already becoming difficult to secure female labour. Mr C. V. Kirke (Fairlie) referred to the rapid spread of noxious weeds on farm land in various parts of South Canterbury, largely due to the fact that farmers could not get sufficient labour to cope with the problem, Mr Winkel replied that if farmers requiring labour for this purpose communicated with the National Service Department they would endeavour to supply men for the work. On the suggestion of the chairman, members were invited to submit ideas in regard to providing continuity of work for men engaged in seasonal occupations. A motion proposed by Messrs D. C. McKechnie (Geraldine) and G. A. I Harris (Ternuka) that the Minister of j Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G, Sullivan) be asked to investigate the possibility of the manufacture of linen fabrics and other by-products at the South Canterbury linen flax factories, was carried unanimously.