Motor Assembly Plants Look For Labour

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30172, 2 July 1963, Page 14

Motor Assembly Plants Look For Labour

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, July 1. Motor assembly plants which are expected to compete vigorously for extra car sales in the next six months to qualify for extra import licences next year are gearing themselves for additional production. Wellington plants face an especially short labour market and, for employees they can recruit elsewhere, the acute Wellington housing shortage. Under the Government's import scheme for the first

six months of next year, the sales performance of assembly firms in the six months from today will determine the proportions in which an additional £2.5 million will be distributed for imports from January to June. 1964. Employment officers of General Motors (New Zealand), Ltd., Petone, will be in Christchurch next Wednesday to recruit up to 40 unskilled men for its plant. The firm intends to add 80 employees to its staff. The personnel manager, Mr K. M. Nicholson, who with the employment officer of the firm (Mr J. Cochrane) will conduct interviews at the Labour Department office in Christchurch, said today the men would be trained on the job in metal finishing, spray painting, welding, trimming and final assembly. The firm offered wages above award and would pay fares north.

Single men would be offered temporary or permanent accommodation in a Labour Department hostel, said Mr Nicholson.

Last March the company engaged 15 men in Christchurch and “found them excellent,** he said. A spokesman for the Ford Motor Company of New Zealand, Ltd., said tonight his firm was planning to work more overtime with its present staff and would be able to draw on some unused capacity to meet the extra volume of cars. The Austin Motor Federation, assembling B.M.C. can, is currently advertising for more staff to meet the need. The technical manager of Motor Assemblies, Ltd.. Christchurch (Mr R. E. C. Harding), said last evening that all possible local am overseas sources of parts had been approached for increases, and the stepping-up in production which had already begpn would only be limited by these supplies. “We will definitely be producing more vehicles, and are quite likely to begin working overtime,” he said. “We are definitely as keen as our North Island friends to step up production as much as possible,” he said.