PUBLIC WORKS POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 114, 12 April 1940, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS POLICY

EMPLOYMENT OF MEN. REPLY TO CRITICISAI. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 11. Criticism by Air S. G. Holland, ALT., of the large number of men employed on public works while private employers were losing men to the Army drew a spirited reply from the Minister of Alan Tower (lion. T. G. Webb) at the meeting of the National Recruiting Council this afternoon. The Alinister of Public "Works (Hon. R. Semple) had frequently appealed to Cabinet to reduce the number on public works, said Air Webb. In his capacity as Alinister of Labour the responsibility rested with him to find employment, and he had appealed to secondary industries and farmers to take whatever young labour was on public works. Aloreover, the Government had undertaken to subsidise the training of men. The alternatives to public works were an army of unemployed or absorption of men by private industry and the farming community. Secondary industries and the primary industry could not employ them, and the only course was for the Government to put them to work where they could assist in production in some form or other such as the making of backblocks roads.

If secondary industry would undertake to provide employment for 10.000 men the Government would he prepared to clo'-e down many of the public works, declared Air Webb. The Government would not put one man on public* works if he could be placed elsewhere,” and it would welcome any suggestions in that respect. REPLACEAIENT PROBLEM'.

The replacement of men in production presented difficulties, hut with greater co operation these could he overcome, said Air "Webb. Elder men and women and the young had to be concentrated on. The great bulk of young women were employed and young men were enlisting or were in work. The greater proportion of 10 000 men engaged on what corresponded to Scheme 13 work were between 45 and 60. most of them between 50 and 00. Alany were not fit to do really hard work. 11 Alost farmers would not- employ inexperienced labour. A subsidy of £1 a week for six months was offered as an inducement to employ inexperi need men. In the first year GOO farmers took advantage of the offer, but last year very few. There wore serious obstacles regarding accommodation in the country and this factor impaired the placing of labour. A vigorous campaign of building wliarcs and homes had been discussed to meet- the need. Youths could not he got from cities for farms because of the availability of trade-teaching occupations near their homes, but there were hundreds of older men and women who could be not if accommodation was provided for them —something along the married eouple line. NO RESERVED OCCUPATIONS. A definition of the position regarding reserved occupations in respect ot military service was given by the Alinister of Supply. AJore than 1200 civil servants had gone with the T irst Echelon, said Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and ho understood proportionate numbers would be included in subsequent drafts. That showed that public servants who were anxious to serve were liberated.

There were actually no reserved occupations. There were some persons who had been regarded as indispensable and they bad been asked to remain in their occupations in the meantime, but even there the Government’s attitude was that no man was to be regarded as finally indispensable and that the first consideration was to be the filling of the Army. The Government’s view was that Hie employer must train a man to replace the one who was in a kev position and who desired to enlist. If a key man really could not be replaced within a reasonable neriod lie would have fo be retained. The Government was doing its very best to meet the requirements, of the Army and of industry as a whole.