GREENKEEPERS CALLED UP

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23964, 3 June 1943, Page 3

GREENKEEPERS CALLED UP

GOLFERS COMPLAIN SYDNEY, May 23. When members of metropolitan golf clubs complained to the deputy-Direc-tor-General of Manpower, Mr Bellemore, about the calling-up of greenkeepers for more essential work, Mr Bellemore suggested that the golfers keep the greens in order themselves, and that some parts of the golf courses be devoted to vegetable growing, as in England. He said the call-ups would continue. Mr Bellemore said yesterday that a recent survey had shown that golf clubs were employing from two to 18 greenkeepers a club. Able-bodied men were engaged in mowing lawns. None of them was of military age, but, because of the urgent need for men for more essential work, a start had been made to transfer them to other employment. Call-ups had been made from a number of clubs, and these would be continued. The men would be made available to the Allied Works Council. Those found by the Allied Works Council to be unsuitable for the class oi work it required would be sent to other important war work “Yesterday,” said Mr Bellemore, “a deputation from metropolitan golf clubs waited on me and complained about the calling-up of the greenkeepers. I told the members of the deputation that it was not necessary that greenkeepers should be men suitable for employment by the Allied Works Council on important national undertakings. “I suggested that the golfers might arrange to carry out the wotk of maintaining the greens themselves as part of their week-end exercise, and that they might follow the example set in England of growing vegetables on parts of the courses, in the interests of the nation. “I told the deputation also that, while I appreciated the need for workers to spend their time on the golf links at week-ends, I did not approve of people such as high business executives spending time at golf on any day from Monday to Friday. “Some pf the members of the deputation were men in charge of businesses engaged in important war work, and they admitted to me that they were in need of additional labour for carrying out that work. I pointed out that greenkeepers might be employed on such work instead of working at golf clubs. “One employer who was a member of the deputation said that his business wanted 150 more labourers for important war work, and when I asked him whether greenkeepers would be suitable for that work he said that they would be. “I told the deputation that the calling up of greenkeepers would be continued.”