MAORI WAR EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 37, 7 November 1942, Page 6

MAORI WAR EFFORT

Transfer To Essential Work

CONTROL BY TRIBAL COMMITTEES

Instructions regarding the control of Maori manpower and wpmanpower and their employment in undertakings of national importance ’have been issued to all Maori tribal committees by the liaison officer of the Maori War Effort Organization, LieutenantColonel IL C. Hemphill. The Industrial Emergency Regulations affect the Maoris equally with other workers and must be complied with by Maoris,, but the Government has agreed that the responsibility for the registration and control of Maori manpower and womanpower should be placed in the hands of the tribal committees constituted under the Maori War Effort Organization. The classes who have to register are men between 46 and 59 years inclusive, men of any age with experience in building, engineering or timber work (bushmen and saw-milling hands), and women between 20 and 30 years inclusive. Exceptions are owners and managers of fawns, invalids, war pensioners, and men in the armed forces. Members of the Home Guard and E.P.'S. must register. District manpower officers have been instructed to adhere closely to the following arrangements in all matters concerning Maoris affected by the regulations:—

(1) The manpower officer, will consult the local tribal committee in each case before directing or transferring a Maori into work of national importance and before giving or refusing consent to the engagement of a Maori. (2) The manpower officer will similarly consult the local tribal committee in each case before issuing any decision in respect of any application (’by either employer or employee) which affects a Maori worker in an essential industry.

(3) The (manpower officer will inform the local tribal committee of the scope of all registration orders in force, and will leave it entirely to the committee to ensure that all liable to register meet ttiat obligation. (4) The local tribal committee will compile lists of .personnel (both men and women) who It considers should be directed into essential industry together with any recommendations regarding the locality or class of industry. Manpower offices will be guided by the advice of the committees on all such matters. (5) On any other matters which may arise concerning Maoris the local tribal committee is to be consulted before action is taken. Executive Committees. As a further step toward efficient organization and to ensure further co-ordination in the carrying out of the policy in connexion with the Maori war effort, recruiting officers are being requested to arrange immediately for the appointment of tribal executive committees within their zones, these committees to consist of not [more than two deelgates from each tribal committee within workable areas. The functions of tribal executive committees will be: (1) To act as liaison between the tribal committees and the manpower officers; to exercise general authority with respect to all matters in connexion with the Maori war effort within their areas; and to submit to the office of the Maori War Organization periodical returns with regard to placements in essential industry, enlistments in the Territorial Force for serivce within or beyond New Zealand, enlistments in the Territorial Force for service within New Zealand only, enlistments in the Home Guard. The circular states that upon the tribal committees and the tribal executive committees will fall the responsibility for organizing the industrial side of the Maori war effort.