H —llA

235. During the period Ist June, 1942, to 22nd March, 1943, Aimed Forces Appeal Boards made recommendations for release from military service of 611 men for employment on transport and communications. Of these, 399 were for motor transport, 82 for railways, 81 for harbour services, and 49 for other services. 236. In the years ended 31st March, 1944, and 31st March, 1945, releases from the Forces to the industry arranged by District Man-power Officers and Armed Forces Appeal Boards totalled 2,781 and 3,078, made up as follows

237. Directions to employment in this group of industries issued by District Manpower Officers totalled 4,782 in the period Ist April, 1944, to 31st March, 1945. 238. Recorded vacancies as at 31st March, 1946, were as follows :

(vii) Clothing and Woollen Manufacturing 239. Clothing-factories.—The clothing-factories in the Dominion were called upon during the war years to manufacture battle-dress, greatcoats, and other garments of all descriptions in large quantities not only for the equipping of our own Forces, but also for Allied Forces overseas. Clothing-factories engaged substantially on military contracts were included in the first list of declarations of essentiality issued in January, 1942. Later in that year a national Man-power Utilization Council and local Utilization Committees were set up in the industry to assist primarily in meeting the very heavy demands upon it for military production and the consequential effects of this upon essential civilian production. By August the labour position in the industry as a whole had become such that the declarations of essentiality were extended to cover the greater part of the industry. Within the field covered by declarations, however, the Department continued to distinguish between three groups —factories engaged preponderantly on military contracts, which held a first priority; factories engaged preponderantly on utility civilian garments in critically short short supply, which held a second priority; and other factories which held no priority and were rather in the category of a reserve of labour. 240. Clothing-factories employ predominantly female labour, and by the end of 1943 the acute shortage of such labour throughout all industries, together with the mounting arrears of essential civilian production caused through the urgency of the demand for military production, had brought the industry to a critical position. In November, 1943, a National Garment Control Council and District Garment Control Committees

46

— Year ended 31st March, 1944. Year ended 31st March, 1945. Railways (including workshops and motor services) Motor services n.e.i. (including garages) Other transport services Post and Telegraph and radio broadcasting 1,260 762 339 420 1,227 952 446 453 Totals 2,781 3,078

• Males. Females. Total. Railways 816 22 838 Tramways 71 71 Motor services 114 14 128 Shipping services 13 8 21 Air services 1 1 Post and Telegraph and radio broadcasting.. 341 21 362 Totals 1,355 66 1,421