WORKMANSHIP CRITICISED

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30886, 20 October 1965, Page 7

WORKMANSHIP CRITICISED

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Oct. 18,

The standard of workmanship in many houses being built today was poor, Sir James Fletcher told the annual conference of the Joinery Manufacturers’ Federation in Auckland last night.

“1 attribute this fall in quality to one factor—many men today have lost pride in their craft,” said Sir James Fletcher. “This, in my opinion, is a serious fault and every attempt should be made to raise the standards in the minds of apprentices so that they realise that it is not the speed of the job, it is the quality of work that counts.” However, poor quality was not the case throughout the whole building industry, he said. It was gratifying to see that on major contracts the standard of workmanship had not dropped. Speaking on the training of tradesmen, Sir James Fletcher said his group of companies employed about 300

i lapprentices. Over the years . many boys that they had trained had gone into busi1 ness for themselves, not only t as builders but as joinery < \ manufacturers, too. i “There is a responsibility ;!on employers to share in this :! training. We would not today tlbe short of tradesmen in New if every builder had : taken on his proportion of ’ apprentices,” said Sir James s Fletcher. 5 1 Conservation would have to j he the watchword of the tims ber industry in the future, ; warned Sir James Fletcher. 1 In 20 years, native timber would be a scarce commodity. f, Synthetic and imported - native woods would have to -1 take the place of native tim)|ber.