ENGINEERS FOR HOSPITALS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26869, 23 October 1952, Page 3

ENGINEERS FOR HOSPITALS

MR V. C. LAWN REFERS TO SHORTAGE

Search for remedy URGED

Difficulty was encountered in obtaining hospital engineers, " and apprentices to the trade were few, said the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr V. C. Lawn), when he officially opened the annual conference of the New Zealand Hospital Engineers’ Association in Christchurch yesterday. “I know of no other engineering job where such a variety of work is available,” Mr Lawn said. The variety surely should attract men to the job, but it had been said that the wages paid were too low. “Actually the wages and conditions under the hospital electricians’ and fitters’ award compare very favourably with other awards, but it may be that in these days of competition by employers for the available labour, the job outside may at least appear more attractive,” he said. “In these days, there is more competition by employers than there is by employees, and this aspect is unfortunate. Some of our younger men have never had to face up to competition.” The North Canterbury Hospital Board was always interested in the lot of the engineer, and he suggested that some thought to the reasons and remedy for the shortage of engineering staff could be given during the conference, Mr Lawn said. Attitude to Work The shortage of apprentices and fully-qualified men was not peculiar to the engineering trade, for it was apparent in most industries, said Mr Lawn. “When one Sees all the new buildings and rows and rows of >homes being built, one wonders just where all the maintenance men come from,” he said. “If I suggested that the 40hour week has in any way been responsible for the difficulty in getting work done expeditiously, I would be challenged immediately, and if I further suggested that we should tevert to a 44-hour ordinary working week, I would probably be most unpopular. “However, I consider that the 40hour week, and a more of less free-and-easy attitude to service generally have had a bearing on the shortage of labour,” Mr Lawn said. He- approved of the old adage of “payment for service rendered,” and though he agreed that as the cost of living soared, an adjustment in the “take home money” must be made, he thought some workers expected too much at the hands of «the employer without a reasonable compensating additional service or output. *