USEFUL WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 200, 24 August 1937, Page 8

USEFUL WORK.

PROMPT SURVEY. SUPPLY OF SK'LLED LABOUR. JOBS FOR SUSTENANCE MEN. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON', this day. A highly important development, aiming at an assured supply of skilled labour for house construction works, and also for useful occupations for men on sustenance, was announced to-day by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage. The Government has appointed a committee of ret-i>on6ible heads of the principal employing departments of the State to make a prompt survey of the labour supply and of requirements for housing, public buildings and other national works during the next 12 months. At a meeting of the committee yesterday, the Hon. P. C. Webb, actingMinister of Labour, presided. Several other Ministers were present, and the Prime Minister addressed the gathering. "Our object," said Mr. Savage, "is to take men off sustenance and put them into useful work under decent conditions. Training, of course, will come into the scheme, but in the first place we have to get, a survey of the men available,

particularly in skilled trades, for building purposes before we face up to filling the shortage, if any. Our object is not to break down working conditions, but we must build homes at the earliest moment and also carry out necessary public works. It means planning, not blundering, along, and we are not jroing to allow any elements, subversive or otherwise, to stand between us and the pledges we made to the people." Mr. Savajre added that the Government wanted an immediate survey to ascertain the skilled labour available, and the committee's ideas as to where to get the remainder if the country needed more than it had to-dav.

"It is not satisfactory to have things dragging on for years, when we know the housing conditions of the people, and this question affects not only housing, but the whole economic life of the country. The Government will want the help of those in responsible positions in labour organisations outside the public service, because everyone who wants to play a part in the government of this country must play a part which will make government a pleasure rather than a hell upon earth."