LABOUR SHORTAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 December 1943, Page 4

LABOUR SHORTAGE

DEVELOPING IN FREEZING WORKS CALL ON TERRITORIALS. MADE BY THE MINISTER OF MANPOWER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A temporary manpower shortage is developing in the freezing works industry. Already works in Auckland are short of 200 men and further shortapes are developing throughout the North Island as one freezing works after another gets into the swing of seasonal production. The Minister of Industrial Manpower (Mr<McLagan) today announced the Government’s decision to utilise in freezing works a proportion of the men selected for one month’s service with the Territorials. It was hoped, said the Minister, that sufficient men would volunteer for this work to meet the present urgent demand. If sufficient volunteers were not available, however, it might be necessary to direct suitable men from among those liable for Territorial service. All men prepared to volunteer were asked to notify their local district manpower officers immediately. Preference would be given to men residing in the districts where freezing works were situated. A minimum of four weeks’ ■ work would be required from those who exercised this option, in lieu of Territorial service. Pay would be at freezing workers’ rates. Every endeavour would be made to facilitate an extension of the working period should men so desire. The Minister stiessed the importance of service in fieezing works, which was no less urgent than the call to service in harvesting oi in the Armed Forces. The supply of food to the Allied nations was one of the most important contributions New Zealand could make to the united war effort and this food supply depended on the man in the freezing works pow.