GARAGE STAFF

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20917, 17 October 1942, Page 5

GARAGE STAFF

SERIOUS DEPLETIONS TWO APPEALS ADJOURNED Two appeals against general service were lodged by Ormonds Motors, Ltd., at to-day’s sitting of the Gisborne Armed Forces Appeal Board. The appeals, both of which were supported by Mr. F. W. Nolan, were in connection with a reviewed appeal against the general service of W. L. Moore, garage foreman, and the service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force of A. D. Brown, apprentice panel beater. Adjournments were recommended in both cases. Mr. Nolan said that the work in the garage workship had greatly increased recently and if the present staff of five men and three apprentices was reduced further; the work would be beyond their capacity. Prior to hostilities, a staff of 35 men was engaged in the workshop. Last month a total of 593 hours’ overtime was paid. Mr. Nolan added that both reservists were willing to serve. Evidence on these lines was given by the manager of the appellant company, A. M. Nicholls. The chairman of the district manpower utilisation committee, V. G. Walker, in supporting both cases, said that on October 7 the. motor trade industry had been declared essential. Moore’s case was unanimously supported because he was a key man and fully capable of taking on the foreman’s job. Brown’s trade was one which could not be picked tip in a short time. An additional difficulty was that the Apprentices’ Board 11 in Wellington raised objection to more apprentices being taken on, as apprentices already in the armed forces had to be reinstated in their positions after the war. It was necessary, therefore, to let.-an apprentice serve his time and then release him for service. A sine die adjournment was recommended in Moore’s case, the reservist to stay in the L.O.C.M.T. Company, and in Brown’s case an adjournment was granted for three months.