ACUTE SHORTAGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 5 January 1945, Page 4

ACUTE SHORTAGE

WOMEN WORKERS IN WELLINGTON INSUFFICIENT TO MEET DEMAND Wellington. This C>ay. Los*»es of female workers, through illhealth, age retirement, or marriage, from essential industries in the Wellington and Hutt districts total 150 a month. Though replacements are made, to some extent, by girls who become subject to manpower direction on attaining ihe age of 18 years, the intake from all sources, it is stated, is insufficient to meet the demand. Consequently a fairly acute shortage of female labour exists in the Wellington area. 'l’his situation has existed for a considerable time, and indications are that it will not be alleviated in the near future. Positions awaiting female worker* in essential industries in Wellington and the Hutt Valley on December 15 last totalled 872. These figures are said to be the bate minimum, as essential industries of not very high priority had hud their requirements pruned by the manpower authorities. Some employers also, knowing the shortage of labour, had not notified the authorities of exiating vacancies, «s they considered there was littlo likelihood of gettiug them filled. The female labour potential in VVel'ington ig considered to he just about exhausted. Drive after drive has been made to enlist women and girls for industry of high priority. Non-essential undertakings have been combed through for workers till no more can be taken from them without closing them down. It is a situation which cannot be improved, officials say, till more girls are brought to Wellington from outside districts. There is a big shoVtage of skilled operatives in the sewing trades, but this is not peculiar to them for a similar position prevails in other manufacturing industries, such as tobacco and footwear. With war contracts still to be filled, tho sewing trades cannot completely meet the demands being made on their resources. Their loss of outgoing labour is not being equalled by the intake of new workSteady Loss of Personnel. Most big manufacturing concerns are Binding their female working personnel is steadily diminishing. They cHnnot get enough of either experienced or inexperienced hands. The shortage of men’s suits and of boys’ and girls’ school clothes is attributed wholly to this situation, and not to lack of materials. Every draft of men returning from the Middle Fast means the loss of female workers to industry because a number of them have been waiting to marry. Married women workers, are having babies, and it is the oldest and most competent hands who are being lost to industry. Through the stepping up of production on orders* from Britain. 100 additional girls are required in the Wellington district for munitions making. They will have to be found. The clothing trades are still desperately short of workers, particularly for shirt-making, despite the transfer of experienced operatives from non-essential frock and garment trades. The demand for 800 to 1000 female workers for essential industry in Wellington remains more or less static, because the recurrent necessity for replacements does not allow the shortage to be overtaken. Some dissatisfaction is still reported to exist concerning the release ol women from the Services. It is considered to he neither rapid nor thorough. There is one aspect, however, which should he borne in mind. Due to the careful “screening” policy adopted by ttu manpower authorities before women were allowed to entt*r the Services, most ol them were recruited from secondary cen ires. Consequently, though thousands have been released, only 2 nr 3 per cent, of th< total belong to the Wellington district Some industrial firms complain that girli who have been for a period in the Services have been spoiled for essential work because of the comparatively idle nature in many cases, of their former duties.