COUNTY AFFAIRS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 32, Issue 3290, 19 July 1943, Page 8

COUNTY AFFAIRS

POSITION OF EMPLOYERS SHORTAGE OF MANPOWER UNUSUALLY DIFFICULT YEAR The following extracts from the annual report of the New Zealand County Councils’ Industrial Union of Employees, to be presented at the annual general meeting in Wellington on Friday, July 30, were read at the July meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council.

The report stated that the year had been a more than usually difficult one for many councils.. The prolongation of the war would result in an increase of difficulties, and county councils would be faced with at least one more arduous year. There had been no new awards directly affecting the work of local bodies issued by the court during the year, although some new awards affected all employers to some extent. ' 40-Hour Week The matter of the 40-hour week had again 'resulted in a good deal of discussion, but the consideration which was given by the various organisations did not result in finality, and there was no indication of any relief being granted, notwithstanding that the manpower position of the country had deteriorated considerably. The manpower position had become more acute notwithstanding that the Government had arranged for the release from military camps of,, certain men not eligible for overseas service. The high wages and in some cases better conditions obtaining in cities on works carried out under the Defence Works Labour Legislation Suspension Order had attracted men temporarily from their normal occupations. Not Essential For that reason consideration had been given to the question of having

local body work declared essential,. but the executive had decided that this at present would be inadvisable,. particularly as concerning hourly workers. Although there had been a’number of strikes in various quarters in industry local bodies had been comparatively free from friction.