H—llA

306. Man-power Utilization Councils were set up for the following industries in the group under review : Baking trades. Motor trades. Biscuit-manufacture. Optical trades. Coal-gas manufacture. Plumbing trades. Electrical trades. Printing and publishing. Food canning and preserving. Tanneries. Footwear-manufacture. Tobacco-manufacture. Furniture-manufacture. Laundries. 307. Local Utilization Committees were also established for these industries, with the exception of biscuit-manufacture, food canning and preserving, optical trades, and tanneries. Although no Utilization Council was set up, Utilization Committees were appointed, in the four main centres, for the coal-distribution industry. (xii) Other Industries and Services not declared Essential 308. Included under this heading are — Beverage industries. Land, estate, and other agencies. Confectionery-manufacture. Leather-goods manufacture (certain, classes). Finance. Recreation, amusement, and sport. Fur dressing and manufacture. Wholesale and retail trades. Insurance. Miscellaneous industries and services. 309. These industries and services all play their part in the economy of the Dominion and in the life of our people, and have varying degrees of importance. It was not necessary, however, to grant them the protection of a declaration of essentiality, as in practically all cases the production or service could be curtailed if necessary without impeding the war effort. It was the aim of the Department throughout, in the administration of manpower controls in these industries and services to permit them, as far as possible, to maintain sufficient staff to continue to function economically and thus be in a position, after the war, to rehabilitate employees who had entered the Forces. ~ The Department assisted these industries and services from time to time by arranging the release of home servicemen and home servicewomen from the Forces where such action was deemed to be warranted. Armed Forces Appeal Boards in dealing with appeals, also permitted the retention from military services of limited numbers of Category " A " men holding key positions and a more substantial proportion of non-Category "A " men. The engagement of part-time labour, married women, and elderly persons was a prominent feature of the employment situation in these industries and services during the war period. SECTION lII.—RELAXATION OF CONTROLS (i) Broad Programme of Relaxations 310. At the turn of the tide of war when the defeat of Germany was no longer a matter for any doubt, preliminary consideration was given to the effects that cessation of hostilities in the European sphere would have on the Dominion's man-power position. Attention was focused on the possibility of relaxing man-power control measures, though not to an extent which would impair the effort still required for the Pacific theatre of war, for successful rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, and for the part to be played by the Dominion in meeting the world food crisis already looming on the horizon. 311. Upon the surrender of Germany on Bth May, 1945, the Government announced its intention of abolishing man-power control measures as soon as possible. The Department quickly finalized surveys already in hand for the purpose of deciding on what lines and with what speed relaxation of man-power controls should proceed. In regard to the removal of controls generally, it was necessary to bear in mind the need for continuing to meet the requirements of men overseas—particularly for food —the necessity to push ahead with housing and other work necessary for rehabilitation and the transition from war to peace ; and the need to maintain an operative minimum of labour in key industries and services through the transition

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