TRAINING TIMBER WORKERS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24417, 17 November 1944, Page 6

TRAINING TIMBER WORKERS

MINISTER REPLIES TO UNION SECRETARY

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. November 16. “The secretary of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union (Mr F. Craig) misunderstood the position from start to finish,” said the Minister of Rehabilitation (the Hon. C. F. Skinner) to-day. commenting on Mr Craig’s statement on the recently announced offer of subsidies by the Rehabilitation Board for the training of former servicemen in the timber industry. “Right from the time the scheme was first mooted over 12 months ago the trade training advisory committee of the Rehabilitation Board kept in touch with representatives of employers and employees, including the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union.” said the Minister. “At the last such conference, held in Rotorua on September 5, 1944, the union was represented by Mr C. Lindsay. a. member of the national council of the union. The trade training committee subsequently made its recommendations to the Rehabilitation Board which decided to offer subsidies for various periods.” Mr Skinner said that the intention of the scheme of subsidies was to ease the entry into the timber industry of inexperienced or slightly experienced former servicemen. In the past employers had to train the men at their own expense, paying the full award rates from the start. He knew as well as Mr, Craig that it took a lot longer than months to train a competent bushman, and he h'ad not implied any such suggestion in his original statement. “I also notice that Mr Lindsay and Mr Seator, president of the union* make inferences about providing cheap labour under the scheme and that the work done by bushmen" and mill hands is regarded as relatively unimportant by the Rehabilitation Board." Said Mr Skinner. He knew only too well the sterling performance that had been put up by this class of worker They worked long hours in their country’s need.