BRITISH TRADESMEN AT CANBERRA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25086, 18 January 1947, Page 2

BRITISH TRADESMEN AT CANBERRA

BUILDERS DISSATISFIED WITH WORK (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, Jan. 17. The dissatisfaction of some of the newly arrived British tradesmen with the conditions in Canberra is balanced by opinions of their work expressed by some of the master builders. “Unless they improve rapidly I will have to put off some British bricklayers who are working for me,” said one building contractor. He continued that their work was not up to 'the standard required in the capital, which, on brickwork on Government buildings, was probably the highest in the Commonwealth. The British carpenters and joiners, however, were quite efficient. Questioning the qualifications of the British hr .klayers working for him, the contractor said that their work was 50 per cent, below that of Australian tradesmen. Though they have only been a week in Australia three men have already left for Sydney. One said he was a painter of stage scenery and was not prepared to paint houses. The men were brought out by the. Government to assist in the Capital* Territory’s housing programme,- but they are under no legal obligation to remain. “INthink that there has been too much pandering to these fellows,” said the Minister for Housing (Mr N. Lemmon), commenting on complaints by some British tradesman. “We paid their passages out here and gave them better working conditions than many Australians enjoy.” he continued. “Conditions at their camp are far better than in any shearing shed in which I worked before the war. We are not going to wet nurse the men. but if they have any legitimate complaints we will investigate them.”