MR. SULLIVAN DISCUSSES SOLUTIONS.

Chronicle (Levin), 14 March 1946, Page 7

MR. SULLIVAN DISCUSSES SOLUTIONS.

—Press Association

By TelegrajJh-

JL 1 iV U ; AlcU'C i w. if industry rcquired /U0U or 800L1 1 more girJs tiiau it could get 111 order j to nuuntain its present sel-up, and ! tliose girls were not available, tlien | j there vvould have to be some radical j jclmnges in certain lypos of industry ! | novv being carried 011 111 New Zealaiut, j jsaid the Minister of industnes and | Commerce- (Hon. JJ. G. Suliivan; loday, | vvhen he referrod to Ihe shortage oi ; feniale labour.

There were two possible solutions -to } the difiiculty: — (lj Male labour could) be diverted to certain cperat ions norni- i j all y (leffornied ' by Women and girls;! and (2) a selective imniigration poJicy ! vvhicli would result in suitable opera- I tives, particularly younger people, com- ! iifg lo New Zealand from Great Britain ! and possiblv from some of the nortliem ' ^uropean countries. j "The difiicuJties have becouie ox- 1 treme sinee the lifting.. of manpower ' conlrols, " said Mr. Suliivan. "Thei clothing induslry is liiqst seriouslv af- j fccted, and as this is oue of our niajor j iinlnstries tlie problein assunies nationai significaiice, and it is not inerely a short-term oue. "Tlie position is acccntuated liv ihe t'act tliat ihe suppl.v of adolesceiits is greatly reduced conipared wifh prc-war j years as a result of a tnarkcd reduction [in the birllirate during Ihe doprcssion years. The, position vvill not right itself 011 a basis of natural population in crease unfil tlie early fiftics. A growing nuniber of manufacturers are find ing decentralisation a successful solu- ; tion to tlie female eniplovee shortage. " !