ARMY RELEASES

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3289, 16 July 1943, Page 4

ARMY RELEASES

MEN CANNOT BE DISMISSED MANPOWER DIRECTIONS FARMING & ESSENTIAL FIRMS —: ; When interviewed by a representative of the Hauraki Plains Gazette recently, Mr R. W. Chappell, District Manpower Officer, made particular reference to infringement of the legislation in cases which have occurred where men, who have been manpowered out of the army for essential work or for primary production, have in some instances not re- . mained at the work to .which they were directed, or have been dismissed by the employer, without prior consent of the District Manpower Officer. The position is one which is made quite clear, wherein any man who is released from the army by direction of the District Manpower Officer, returns to civil employment by actual direction, and is therefore subject t® the full provisions of the Industrial Manpower Emergency Legislation. The employer is liable should the man’s services ibe terminated without ■obtaining the consent of the District Manpower Officer and the employer must also advise the Manpower Offi--cer immediately in the case of absenteeism, or failure of the employee to report as directed, from the army, -or to perform his work with due diligence. No. Power of Dismissal * Under the legislation there is no power whatsoever of dismissal, and any employer who dismisses, renders himself liable to prosecution. Should he be dissatisfied with the labour manpowered to him, then his legal action is to apply to the District Manpower Officer for permission to •terminate, when the contentions of •both employer and employee are ob- ' tained, the case fully considered, and decision given by the District Manpower Officer. In regard l to primary production, although farming has not been gazetted essential, the legislation gives power to direct men to farming, so that farming is actually ‘in the same category as a gazetted essential undertaking or enterprise, insofar as it relates to any man released from the army to farming, by direction. All Offences Serious Any offences, either by employer or employee, in such cases, will be treated seriously, and attention is also drawn to the fact that the soldier, who is. manpowered from his unit to. essential work must fully abide by the existing emergency legislation and is in the same category as any’civilian, who has either registered for • work of national importance and\been directed, or any person who has not been required to register for work/of "national importance, but who has taken ufr employment in essential enterprise or undertaking. The District Manpower Officer has - full power to direct a member from a unit to any enterprise or undertaking, whether gazetted essential or otherwise if he deems fit, and any such person directed immediately upon being marched out and taking up the civil employment to which he has been directed, becomes fully liable as does his employer, under the industrial Manpower Emergency legislation.