TRADES SCHOOL AND SHOE INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 204, 29 August 1935, Page 6

TRADES SCHOOL AND SHOE INDUSTRY.

The statement that Mr. Wafts was invited by Mr. Slaughter to attend the conference re the proposed trades school is correct, but it ■should be known that when the invitation was extended Mr. Slaughter was informed that 1 could not possiblv attend owing to the sitting of the Arbitration Court in Wellington. It is hardly necessary for me to state that any movement that has for its object the improvement of the conditions of the workers in our industry will have my hearty co-operation, but, in my opinion, the proposed trades school is not on the right lines, as it would have the effect of bringing into the trade additional labour, whilst I have already pointed out there is a decided surplus of skilled workers whose ability compares more than favourably with that of workers in any part of the world. There is nothing wanting in the quality of our work; we in this Dominion can produce the goods. What is wanted is the market for them. This, in my opinion, is where 'co-opera-tion can be appreciated, and the parties concerned should come together in order to discover the reason why oversea products are sold whilst we have such difficulty in disposing of our own. The creation of the sentiment favourably disposed to New Zealand manufactured products should be our first concern, and our people should be proud of the fact that they can be comfortable only when wearing New Zealand-made goods. When this fact is realised the present unemployed boot operatives will be absorbed in industry and the resultant higher wages will benefit the whole of our people. C. A. WATTS. Sec, N.Z. Federated Boot trade Industrial Association of Workers. .