WAR PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1942, Page 2

WAR PRODUCTION

AND SERVICE IN ARMED FORCES APPEALS FOR MUNITIONS WORKERS. DEFENDED BY MINISTER OF SUPPLY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Reference to the shortage of skilled tradesmen for the manufacture of munitions and to the appeals made for munition workers called up for military service was made by the Minister of Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan, after he had completed his tour of the Christchurch factories '.(engaged in war production. He said that in the past large numbers of skilled tradesmen had joined the forces and now that we were faced with the imperative need of properly equipping these fighting forces we found frequently that our efforts were limited to the capacity of a depleted industrial staff. “It has therefore been necessary for me,” added the Minister, “to instruct various manufacturers that when members of their staffs engaged on munitions work are called up for military service, appeals are to be made to the Armed Forces Appeal Board, in order that the best endeavour may be made to retain these essential workers on The manufacture of munitions. The granting of these appeals has some times been the cause of some criticism by people who think, perhaps, that all fit men should be in the fighting forces. Let me say to these people, in all earnestness, that it is only ov maintaining our production at the highest peak possible that we will be able to give our soldiers the equipment they require. It is only by the efforts of our manufacturers and workers that are still available that we will be able to put into the hands of our fighting forces the weapons which will make their efforts successful. “On the other hand I sometimes receive complaints from munitions contractors of the difficulty that they have of convincing the appeal boards of the necessity for the retention of skilled workers,” said Mr Sullivan. “In the circumstances it is natural that these boards, on whom rests a heavy responsibility, should be content only with the fullest evidence that it is possible for the industry to put forward. It must be realised, too, that it is the duty .of the appeal boards to make the fullest inquiry into all the cases that come before them and I am sure that their decisions will be for the highest good of New Zealand.”