INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3021, 7 March 1917, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY

SIR JAMES ALLEN" AiND THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. By Telegraph—Press Association. AucKianci, Alarcn 0. A statement rogarumg lug policy of the Government in respect oi the industrial c-moiciioy ol tho Dominion m coiiiiecuioii Willi recruiting was mack: by tnt James Alien tint afternoon, iv. rcpiy.'ug to a deputation, comprised of the chairman oi the l'lauklJii County Council and the chairman oi ;iio jlanukau County Council. Ine deputation urged that larniors should iiui be depleted of all competent labour, as it was now almost impossible to replace it. It was very important to keep up tho Dominion's exports, as it they fed to a serious extent it would meau national disaster. It would be well if representative men in each district gave evidence before the board in gard to the conditions in tho district, as a reservist sometimes was unwilling to appeal.

Sir James Allen said the difficulties wore realised by the Department. In their early decisions the boards may have been somewhat suit, but he was glad to hear it admitted tiiat there had recently been an improvement. The Government had invited members of farmers' unions, local bodies, and others who could give local information useful to tho boards to do so. It was impossible to lay down a hard and fast rule for all districts. The boards had been asked to exercise careful discrimination in regard to farming and other industries, as the Government desired to avoid depleting labour of an essential character. One of the greatest problems after tho war would be the repatriation of ,tho soldiers. The Efficiency Board was only tho head of a very vast organisation the Government was trying to create throughout the Dominion. The Efficiency Board had been asked to deal with the question of soldiers' farms in cases in which the owners were unable to make satisfactory arrangements. He was not yet in a position to say anything regarding the purchase of farms by the Government, but action was being taken in regard to supervision. The Efficiency Board had been authorised to appoint as many honorary expert advisors as they doomed necos«ary to assist tho board. The appointment of trustee boards also had been authorised. Although thero was no guarantee that the labour would be provided, it would be part of the duties of the board to so organise industries that farms taken over would bo supplied with the necessary labour. The trustee boards, if necessary, would appoint a supervisor lor each farm, and arrangements for keeping and auditing accounts had already been .made. It might be necessary to bring women in. There were no compulsory powers at present to send men whore they would be wanted, and whether it would be necessary to obtain such powers by legislation ho could not say.