SEASONAL WORK

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 6, 2 October 1943, Page 4

SEASONAL WORK

Because of the nature of its development, the provision of labour for purely seasonal occupations has often been a problem in the Dominion, and the difficulties have been accentuated by the demands made by the armed services. Any reserves formerly available have either been seriously diminished or have disappeared altogether, and at a time when the maximum production was never more essentia . .The Minister of Industrial Manpower has stated that plans are well forward- for the employment of students attending the univeisity colleges and the training colleges and also for the senior pupils at our secondary schools, and they should be able to provide a splendid reinforcement at a time when it is urgently needed. But there is a widespread belief—people holding opposite views are few and far between—that it should be possible to release many men and women from the forces, not only for this class of work, but for the equally important task of keeping production going m vital branches ot mdUSt'lt will be remembered that there was a marked conflict of ministerial views just prior to the elections. The Minister of Defence said that no further releases could be sanctioned, and the Prime Minister hastened to promise that there would be a thorough comb-out in or der to provide additional labour. The dairy season has opened somewhat slowly, but both on the farms and in the factories there will be need for extra hands. Those in close contact with the industry fear that there may be a further decline in production, and while some adverse factors are quite beyond control, that makes it the more imperative that what can be done by mobilizing labour should be done. No one wants the effects of avoidable causes added to those that are unavoida be. The re-opening of the meat works will present further problems, a will harvesting in its many forms. . • , The directing of young people, during their vacation, to woik of national importance may be of increasing assistance, but what people feel strongly should be done is the return to productive woi s. of many men and women who today are not urgently required by the forces. It may, and probably will, be necessary to bieak down a reluctance on the part of the defence authorities, nationa and local, to reductions in the numerical strength of their staffs. ™eie cat little doubt that that reluctance exists, with the result that numbe s of people in uniform are not fully employed. They constitute probabfly the largest possible reserve of manpower that can be tapped, anc country expects early action. It would be of the maximum value not only in providing labour for seasonal work, but a so for pioduct occupation of a permanent character. The Munster of Industrial Manpower has stated that “the production of food must be oui main industrial effort over the next few months,’ so that the changeover of all available from the forces to the ranks of producers becomes the more necessary. That done, then the direction of students, scmoi pupils and others will be of undoubted value in assisting the c " u,qt, y Surin"- the peak period. And that will seem to most people to be tl e correct order in the use of our limited labour reserves.