MEN IN RESERVED OCCUPATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 85, 12 April 1940, Page 6

MEN IN RESERVED OCCUPATIONS

MINISTERS DEFINITION

FIRST TASK IS TO FILI

THE ARMY

BUT INDUSTRY MUST BI SAFEGUARDED

[ Per Press Association, j WELLINGTON, April 11. A definition of the position regarding reserved occupations in respect of military service was given by the Minister of Supply (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) at a meeting of the National Patriotic Council this afternoon. More than 1200 civil servants had gone with the First Echelon, said Mr. Sullivan, and he understood proportionate numbers would be included in subsequent drafts. That showed public servants who were anxious to serve were being liberated. There were actually no reserved occupations. There were some persons who had been regarded as indispensable and they had been asked to remain in their occupations in the meantime, hut even there the Government’s attitude was that no man was to be regarded as finally indispensable, and that the first consideration was to be the filling of the Army. The Government’s view was that the employer must train a man to replace one who was in a key position and who desired to enlist. If a keyman really could not be properly replaced within a reasonable period, he would have to be retained. The Government was doing its very best to meet the requirements of the Army and of industry as a whole. MEN ON PUBLSC WORKS GOVERNMENT TRYING TO REDUCE THEM REPLY TO CRITICISM 1 Per Press Association | WELLINGTON. April 11. The criticism by Mr. S. G. Holland, M.P., that a large number of men were employed on Public Works while private employers were losing men to the Army drew a spirited reply from the Minister of Manpower, Hon. P. C. Webb, at a meeting of the National Recruiting Council this afternoon. The Minister of Public Works, Hon. R. Semple, had frequently appealed to Cabinet to reduce the number on Public Works, said Mr. Webb. In his capacity as Minister of Labour the responsibility rested with him to find employment, and he had appealed to secondary industries and to farmers to take whatever young labour was on Public Works. Moreover, the Government had undertaken to.subsidise the training of men. Alternatives to Public Works were an army of unemployed or the absorption of men by private industry and the farming community. Secondary industries and primary industry could not employ them and the only' course was for the Government to put them to work where they could assist in production in some form or other, such as th? making of blackblock roads. If secondary industry would undertake to provide employment for 10.000 men the Government would be prepared to close down many of the Public Works, declared Mr. Webb. The Government would not put one man on Public Works if he could be placed elsewhere, and it. would welcome any suggestions in that respect.