MAORI TRADESMEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 106, 6 May 1943, Page 6

MAORI TRADESMEN

NEW TRAINING CENTRE

HIGH STANDARD ATTAINED

An experimental carpentry training centre at Ohinemutu, established by the Auxiliary Workers' Training Council at the request of the Rehabilitation Board lor the training of Maori ex-servicemen as carpenters, shows promise of being as successful as the Government training centres .in other parts of the Dominion for the training of pakehas. The Rotorua training centre, which was opened just over a month ago in die Maori arts and crafts builamg at Ohinemutu, placed at the disposal of the Rehabilitation Board by the Arawa Trust, provides for the training of twelve men at a time. In the paKeha training centres about one-third of the trainees qualify as "all round tradesmen," the remaining two-thirds being classified according to their lesser ability as 'finishing hands,' 1 "framing hands," etc. A report from the Director of Trade Training states that the Maori trainees at Ohinemutu are showing great promise, practical work on finished joinery is well up to the standard of other schools and drawing is of a high standard. The report concludes: "The type of trainee taking the course is very good, and provided they maintain their present high standard these men snould all make the grade as all-round tradesmen."