BUILDING TRADE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16699, 6 December 1919, Page 8

BUILDING TRADE.

SHORTAGE OF SKILLED LABOUR

C-riiCIAI. TO "the press.") [ DUXEDIX, December 5. In iho course of bis presidential aJ- : dress at the annual irceting of the Xt-w Zealand Architect*.' Institute, Mr J- ! Louis Salmond dealt iu an interesting manner with ibo question of the shortape of tkilled and unskilled labour. The position, lie said, was becoming more nronouncod cvorv day, and Iheio was nr. doubt that it would mean a serious hindrance to tbo prosperity of the Do-mir-ion. Without, extensive immigration lie Ki'.v no immediate solution or , the problem. The Dominion could pro- : vide occupation lor thousands more artisan?, and it was'hoped that ;ui effort wo 11 id l;*o made :o induce and help the sort oi popple to xuak© thoir amciipst us Fewer boys, declared Mr Salmond v.ere now being taught trade-, as compared with a few roars ago and there was no doubt that many, on lea\inc school, drifted into unskilled occupations, induced by the high immediate jiain compared with v/apas offered dur- ; in:; tlio first years of an apprentice's life- It would be in ihe interests oi the Dominion it compulsory regulation-", could l«e evolved regarding ihe boy's immediate l:le alter severing connexion t with the public school to ensure that a'- • least lie v.-a.-, giv.-n a ciiruicc eithi-r by j means of the technical .-cliool, or ;i> rut apprentice in a trade, to make hiiie-v!.' J skilled in some occupation u hic-h would ! not only be congenial, but beneficial to Lir.:se!f, and al-o to the State. On the question of buiidinp pricv.s, Mr >al~:ond said that people uere becoming reconciled to the belief that prices would never again return to pre-war l"vls. and even predicted thev would rati ,-r tend to advance. This belief uli iviti;' the effect of indurinjr many :I <t in nv>ti<-n btuMiai' proje-ts which •hev hid hf!d up u.o !••!>:: m *!:<-■ i:i- ---•.- -u .if their bu.-:n(,-;f:. A n iii-.i-.r-v.nr. '!i> r<'i'j;'' - . !oor:;ii;_ i.-Tv.ir*; 'o •Jn-.r •r-r.'.'i i ;.n ■ •porky. but ii: tieir.e.ilUi'tte m-..;, i'v of labour wa% ■orloui.'y j.i.ini j -.'ti;ij h-uiMing operation-.