BIG CHANGE-OVER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 124, 28 May 1942, Page 7

BIG CHANGE-OVER

AUSTRALIAN PLANS

Civil Building And Delivery

Services To Stop

Rec. 2 p.m. CANBERRA, this day

Rationalisation plans for industries now being prepared will, within the next month, release a progressively increasing number of employees for war needs. Of the 318,000 additional persons required for the fighting services and war production, approximately 188,000 will be obtained by being withdrawn from their present occupations.

In announcing new details of the drastic manpower overhaul, the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, said measures to establish the necessary reservoir of manpower would be provided by:

1. The prohibition of a further large list of manufactures and the extension of these and existing prohibitions to all the States.

2. The prohibition of all civil building except under a Commonwealth Government permit.

3. The drastic reduction of retail delivery services, including the elimination of some of these services.

4. The prohibition of the employment of workers in specified age groups in certain industries.

5. Further rationalisation of industries.

The Prime Minister said diversion of manpower on the scale required would entail careful organisation so that dislocation of essential activities would be avoided. In view of the magnitude of the manpower requirements the situation could be met only by a great increase in the employment of women on work previously regarded .as the preserve of male labour, and by a very severe reduction in the production of goods and services for the civilian population. The use of female labour would meet the demands only in part. Reductions in industrial activities must provide the greater part of the demand.

Mr. Curtin added that it was estimated that some 51,000 men might be released annually from the armv and the air force who would be fit for absorption in civil employment It was known that the number of persons in civil employment had fallen by only 20,000 below the level in June, 193!), despite the calls on the set vices. This had been achieved by the absorption of 248,000 unemployed, by drawing on the actual increase of working population to the extent of 102,000, and by the employment of 150,000 persons who normally did not seek employment. To obtain the labour requirements for the next two or three months it would be necessary to make heavv inroads into certain industries. This would cut heavily into employment in commerce and finance, and in certain types of factory production, it would also be necessary to make inroads upon primary production which normally would be designed 9' export markets not now accessible. All export industries would be immediately examined and in the examination regard would be Riven to special demands for products required by the Australian and Allied forces m Australia.