LABOR AND THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1916, Page 3

LABOR AND THE WAR.

DAIRYING AFFECTED. MEETING OF DAIRY I!EPRE« SENTATIVES. An important meeting of the Taranaki Dairying and Farming Industrial Union of Employers was held in the Ha'.;(>-a Borough Chambers on Saturday 'tu eensider the question of next season's labor for he factories, with rcf.'i.'H"* t'j the regulation of ».tmy recruiting.

Mr, R. Dingle (president) occupied the ehnir.

The President explained that the meeting had 'been convened to discuss the question of labor, more particularly as it applied to the cheese faetoi'ies. He 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. He understood that some employers objected to enlist before getting exemption, but it appeared from a statement by the Minister that a mrfn 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 lie was unable to attend the meeting, and pointing out that skilled dairy factory labor and other similar labor should not be allowed to enlist at all. This was a most serious matter, and trouble would certainly b c brought about unless steps were taken to absolutely prevent those whose work was so necessary to the dairy industry from enlisting or leaving New Zealand. He would bring the matter before Parliament when it met next month.

Mr. Foryth (Elt'ham) 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 our expert factory "hands have to enlist before exemption can be granted is unpractical and unworkable, and if persisted in will result in t!ie_ closing of many of our dairy factories; numbers of'our best dairy factory experts have c-nlisted and are enlisting, and, once enlisted, the services of the majority are lost to the factories; and we would recommend exemption being obtained for skilled experts on the application and recommendation of dairy company directorates,

IJi: Forsyth, in speaking of 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 I industries going. ,This could not be [done with the cheese or butter industries unless the skilled labor were regained. Exemptions should be granted to a sufficient number of men to enable these two industries to be kept going. The meeting should be eiirefnl not to ask lor too much, but just for sufficient to allow the factories being comfortably worked. Kxempted men serving in the dairy industry would still be serving 'heir Kmpire as if on active service. The resolution was seconded by Mr. 11. Spratt (Hawera) and carried. Mr. Powdrell (Kaupokonui) moved he following: That this meeting respectfully re■omniends for the purpose of retaining sufficient skilled men with the least possible hindrance to recruiting, ■onVcuiont dairy district committees hi set up, composed of Government •nd dairy company appointees, to and hrough whom directorates ceuld submit names and apply for exemption for the minimum of skilled labor required in the particular factory controlled by the applicants; the service 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, but at the same time they ie;|uiral to retain a sufficient number of skilled men in order to protect their industries.

■Mr. Marx seconded the motion, and spoke of the difficulty being experienced, by factories through so many of their skilled men going away. After a short discission the motion '•vas can ied.

It \\!\>. also decided, on the motion 'if Messrs Ratten and Crawley, J'hat a deputation consisting of one butter factory representative and four cheese representatives, be appointed by this meeting to wait upon the Government and submit to it the resolutions passed to-day; and to confer with the Government with a view of getting the resolutions given effect to.

Messrs. ,T. Marx (Mangatoki), W. D. Powdrell (Kaupokonui), H. Forsyth (Elthain), P. B. Murdock (.Tolls),'and A. Morton (Mangorei) were appointed the committee to proceed to Wellington to interview the Government as soon as possible after the opening of Parliament.

Mr. Okey, M.P., who was present, briefly addressed the meeting. He said it was a most difficult question to deal with, because it was not known what legislation wa? going to be hrought forward. Personally he thought they should allow their factory managers to enlist if the men wished to de so, and then it would be for the faet»ry directors to get these men exempted'if their services were required t> keep the industry going. Sacrifices had to ne made in the present war, and the farmers had already made many sacrifices for their country. He would be pleased to rtn what he could when 'Parliament met to meet the wishes of the meeting and endeavor to make provision for sufficient skilled labor being kept back to keep the main industries, farming and dairying, in operation.

A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.—Star.