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pressure has been exerted to effect the release of bushmen wherever they have been located. The present withdrawal of volunteers for the industry from the South Pacific area will improve the position materially during the current year. The seriousness of the man-power position and the need for close co-operation between Man-power Officers and the industry led to the establishment of Local Man-power Advisory Committees in the main sawmilling regions. These Committees consist of representatives of the sawmillers and the Timber-workers' Union and the District Man-power Officer, who meet under the Chairmanship of the Regional Timber Controller, and it is their duty to see that all available man-power is allocated and used to the best advantage within the district. The continued demand for timber for defence works, for essential building within the country, for shipment to the South Pacific, and for the manufacture of food, munition, clothing, and other containers for export to various theatres of war has necessitated the maintenance of the maximum possible production even at the expense of future development work. To assist in achieving this objective the under-mentioned notices were issued in pursuance of the Industrial Man-power Emergency Regulations 1942: — (a) Sawmilling Industry (Easter Holidays) Notice 1943 (Gazette, 1943, page 440) required every sawmilling undertaking to continue working until the normal closing-hour on Wednesday, 21st April, 1943, and to resume not later than the usual time on* Wednesday, 28th April, 1943, thus varying the existing requirements regarding the weekly operation on a forty-eight-hour week: (b) Sawmilling Industry (Christmas Holidays) Notice 1943 (Gazette, 1943, page 1408) required in the same way that mills continue working till the evening of Wednesday, 22nd December, 1943, and resume again not later than Wednesday, sth January, 1944: (c) A notice in terms of Regulation 20 of the Industrial Man-power Emergency Regulations 1942 (now replaced by the Industrial Man-power Regulations 1944) was issued to the individual sawmillers on the 26th November, 1943, requiring both the sawmillers and their employees to work forty-eight hours each week. This notice replaced and was in substitution of a previous notice issued by telegram. Provision was made in these notices for relaxation or variation of the requirements by consent of the Timber Controller. The Department also covered on behalf of the Timber Controller the checking of all claims from the sawmilling industry for subsidies on the working of a forty-eight-hour week. Payments under this heading for the year amounted to £69,515, compared with £52,227 for the previous year. The extra production secured by the operation of the subsidy is placed at 25,000,000 board feet. Miscellaneous services to the timber industry were maintained, the Department holding small emergency stocks of blankets and of special boots for urgent sale to the personnel engaged in the industry, mostly to men directed under man-power authority. 103. Petrol and Tire Conservation and Vehicle and Tractor Supplies■— The arrangement as outlined in the 1942 report to conserve petrol and tires was continued throughout the timber industry with good results. Every assistance has been given to the industry by way of arranging loans, exchanges, supplies of spare parts and machines, and the procurement of essential tractors and other equipment. The close co-operation of the Public Works Department and the Transport Department in this particular matter is acknowledged with appreciation. A complete breakdown in both log and timber transportation was narrowly avoided by the release of motor-vehicles surplus to Army requirements, these being released by the Ministry of Supply direct to the agent acting for the user. Both the Army Department and the Ministry of Supply were cognisant of the position, and the valuable assistance rendered is also acknowledged with appreciation. 104. Essential Supplies.—Owing to the early arrival of national reserve stocks of wire rope, saws, hoop, steel, corrugated fasteners, and. steel rails, there was no loss of production in the industry through lack of supplies. The later delivery of bulk orders has improved the position still further, and now that there are adequate quantities to. last for a considerable period all national reserve stock except saws have been absorbed into the bulk supplies. Slower deliveries of saws, however, have made it necessary to keep present stocks under more strict control in the meantime, and releases are approved by the Office of the Timber Controller only when it is established that production will cease unless saws are obtained. Absorption of the other steel materials into the bulk supplies, however, does not remove the control of releases, and all bulk supplies are carefully rationed by the Steel Controller through the various Controllers of each industry. Consequently, to obtain a release of wire rope or other steel material the sawmiller must make application to the Timber Controller on the prescribed form M.S. 125 for the necessary approval to purchase the required material from a merchant. On presentation of this form duly approved to the merchant, supplies are made available, and the merchant keeps the form as his authority for the sale. Action was taken from time to time to secure the release of other materials and supplies as they were required by the industry, and all possible assistance was given in order to maintain production.

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