BAKERS' LONG HOURS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 125, 29 May 1942, Page 6

BAKERS' LONG HOURS

MEETING ARMY NEEDS

APPEAL BOARD'S SUGGESTION (0.6.) this day. A suggestion that the military authorities might confer with bakers and determine means of meeting the labour shortage and increased work, was made at a sitting of the No. 3 Manpower Committee in Whangarei. Baking 20,000 loaves of bread weekly and supplying in large quantities to the military, Wilkinson's Bakeries, Limited, appealed for Noel Herbert Wilkinson, journeyman baker. It was impossible to obtain skilled labour, while Wilkinson, who was working 70 hours a week was able to take neqessary care of the machinery, it was stated. He was a lieutenant in the Kamo Home Guard. In supporting the appeal the manager said he himself was working 90 hours a week, wnile his men were all working long hours. The question was how long the men could continue under such a strain. He was appealing for an employee. now in camp to be released from an overseas camp. The chairman, Mr. R. Coates, and members of the board considered the army authorities and bakers should have a conference to determine what would be done to ease the position. It was suggested to the manager that in any case he could make a formal application for release. Wilkinson's appeal was adjourned sine die.