LABOR AND THE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 23, 2 May 1916, Page 3

LABOR AND THE WAR.

INDUSTRIAL UNION OF EMPLOYERS. An important meeting of the Taranaki Dairying and Farming Industrial Union of Employers was held in the Hawera Borough Chambers on Saturday “to consider the question of next season’s labor for the factories, with reference to the regulation of army recruiting. Mr R. Dingle (president) occupied the chair. The President explained that the meeting had been convened to discuss the question of labor, more particularly as it applied to the cheese’factories. He knew that the cheese people felt a little bit alarmed because so many of their employees were enlisting, and they were afraid that they would not get sufficient hands to carry on the industry during the next season. Ho understood that some employers objected to enlist before getting exemption, but it appeared from a statement by the Minister that a man must enlist before being granted an exemption from any particular industry. He hoped the meeting would fully discuss the matter so that they might come to a satisfactory solution of a difficult problem. A letter was received from Mr C. A.' Wilkinson, M.P.,.regretting that he was unable to attend the meeting, and l pointing out that skilled dairy factory 'labor a‘nd other similar labor should not he allowed to-enlist at a 11: This was a most serious matter, and trouble would certainly he brought about unless’ steps were taken to absolutely prevent those whose work was so necessary to the dairy indus-j iry from enlisting or leaving Newj 'Zealand. He Wonld bring the matter before Parliament when it met next.j month.

-Mr Forsyth (Fltham) moved the following resolution: We, the representative directors of Taranaki cheese and butter factories, find by the past season’s experience that the present Government system whereby expert factory hands have to enlist before exemption can be granted is unpractical and unworkable, and if persisted in will result in the closing of many of our dairy factories; numbers of our best dairy factory experts have enlisted, the services of the majority are lost to the fnctones; and wo would recommend .exemption being obtained for skilled experts on the application and recommendation of dairy company directorates.

Mr Forsyth, in speaking to the resolution, said that if something were not done to prevent their skilled labor from enlisting many of the factories would have to close down. It was necessary that they should get men for active service, hut it was also necessary to feed the men, and in order to do this the country would require to keep its industries going. This could not he done with the cmeese or butter industries unless the skilled labor were retained. Exemptions should be granted to a sufficient number of men to enable those two industries to be kept going. The meeting should be careful not to ask for too much, but just for sufficient to allow the factories being comfortably worked. Exempted men serving in the dairy industry would still be serving their Empire as if on active service. The resolution was seconded hy Mr H. Spratt (Hawera) and carried.

Mr Powdrell (Kaupokonui) moved the following: That this meeting respectfully recommends for the purpose of retaining sufficient skilled men with the least possible hindrance to recruiting convenient dairy district committees ho set up, composed of Government and dairy company appointees to and through whom directorates could submit names and apply for exemption for the minimum of skilled labor required in the particular factory controlled by the applicants; the services in factories of such selected men to be equal in status to military service The mover said that the dairy people desired to help the Government in their recruiting, hut at the same time they required to retain a sufficient number of skilled men in, order to protect their industries. , Mr Marx ; tli^-motion, and spok(\;pf rThf? difficulty jiiehig i experienced ; hy- fiictprijps many of their skilled men ’gbTng away. After a short discussion the motion was carried.

It was also decided, on the motion of Messrs Batten and Crowley, That a deputation consisting of one butter factory representative and four cheese representatives, be appointed by this meeting to wait upon tiie Government and submit to it the resolutions passed to-day ; and to confer-with the Government with a view to getting- s the! resolutions given effect to. Messrs J. Marx (Mnngatoki), W. I). Bowdrell (Kaupokonui), H. Forsyth (Eltham.), .1. B. Murdoch (.lolls), and A. Morton (Mangorei) were appointed The committee to proceed to Wellington to interview the Government as soon as possible after the opening df Parliament. • (V , ,

j Mr Ojtey;„>i.Pp who was presen(, briefly addi'essed,the meeting. He said it was a pipst difficult question to deal with, because it was not known what legislation was going to he brought forward. Personally he thought they j should allow their factory managers to enlist if the men wished to do so, and then it would he for the factory directors to if | their to keop j the industry going. Sacrifices had to I be made in the present war, and the, farmers had already .mafic many sacri-« flees for their country. He would he I pleased to do what he could when Par-j liament met to meet the wishes oi th§| meeting and endeavor to make provision for sufficient skilled laoor being kept back to keep the main industries,, farming and dairying, in operation. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.—.(Star).