LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Absent from Work. Cases of absenteeism reported to the Wellington manpower office since its inception total 2140. The June figure was 263. Fines inflicted number 323, including 49 for June. Absenteeism is greater among females than males. Canteen Facilities. The Canteen Board has announced that members of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. at present on’ furlough have the facility of procuring for their personal consumption smokers’ requisites in military establishments throughout New Zealand, and from Canteen Stores in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin. Elocution Candidates. Successful elocution candidates in the recent Trinity College practical examinations, conducted by Mr Anderson Tyrer in Wellington were; In the Higher Local section, Paddy Turner (merit) and Nancy Marshall. In the Senior section: Hilary Me Askey and Joan McClymont. All are pupils of Miss' Elizabeth Thomas, Assoc. Lie. (Eloc.), Trinity College (London). A Welcome Sight. A sight that cheered rain-soaked relatives at the wharf gates when members of the N.Z.E.F. returned on furlough was a Salvation Army mobile canteen from which women Salvationists, wearing the familiar bonnet of the army, freely dispensed cups of hot tea with biscuits throughout the day, in spite of driving wind and rain, to hundreds of waiting women and to the men as they disembarked. Scarcity of Carriers. Reference to the serious depletion in the numbers of owner-driver carriers on account of the demands of the armed forces' was made by the president of the New Zealand Carriers’ Federation, Mr C. J. Mahon, at a sitting of the No. 1 (Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday. Appeals against service were lodged by eight master carriers, and sine die adjournments were granted in all cases. At least 60 operators were overseas or in camp, said Mr Mahon. At the beginning of the war, the Commissioner of Transport and the Minister of Transport agreed to the suspension of licences while the holders were in the forces, and the licences were kept alive without expense to the men. It was impossible to get trade 3 men to do the work performed by grade 1 men, who were liable for service. Mr L. J. Matthews, secretary of the Drivers’ Union, said grade 3 men were now undertaking hard work in the motor pool in the Army, and he saw no reason why they should not be put back 'into industry.

Early Matrimony. Earlier marriage was put forward by speakers at the Wellington Diocesan Synod yesterday as a counter to sexual laxity. With a few dissentient voices the synod expressed alarm at the present tendency to late marriage and a falling birth-rate, urged all members ’of the Church for both moral and national reasons to do all in their power to encourage early matrimony and requested the provincial committee for public and social affairs to consider possible action in the matter. Invested in National Savings. Nearly £lOOO has been invested in National Savings by an Auckland waterside worker in less than three years. Opening his account in November, 1940, he has been a regular subscriber ever since. Individual contributions have ranged from £2 10s to £l5O, the latter amount having been paid in last week. “Though for some time my objective has been £1000,” he said recently, “I will continue to subscribe after this amount has been reached in the near future till the money is no longer required.” .He has an adult family and has been a member of the Waterside Workers’ Union for 30 years. Farmers’ Union Conference. In his address at the annual conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Wellington today, the Dominion President, Mr W. W. Mulholland, spoke at length on a number of important questions, amongst them that of rehabilitation, in regard to which he urged a wise and well-considered development of industries and liberal assistance 'to returned soldiers desirous of settling on the land, but with safeguards in the way of adequate training and against the inflation of land values. Mr Mulholland added his tribute “to the many that have been paid to our soldiers, sailors and airmen,” and to the men of the merchant navy. Some of his observations on the subject of postwar trade and economic policy are reported in another column. Demand for Labour. During June 500 men and 200 women were directed into occupations by the Wellington manpower office. The total placed by the office is now 7075 (5000 men and 2075 women) . The demand for male labour is heaviest in the building and allied trades (150 wanted), engineering and munitions (150), and 350 are required for unspecified occupations, mainly labourers. The demand for female labour is heaviest in factories (275 required), offices (150 required), hotels and restaurants and catering ’ (125), and hospitals (100), and 225 are needed for unspecified occupations, mainly industrial. The. totals are 650 males and 875 females. There has been an easing in the demand for female workers for clothing factories, but this has been offset by an increased demand from footwear 'firms.