Employment

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31412, 4 July 1967, Page 14

Employment

Sir,—Considering the present employment crisis, I would suggest to Messrs Arnst and McNulty that they take a hard look at their own union. A few years ago—and I believe the position is the same today—the number of men between the ages of 65 and 75 employed in the freezing works was considerable. Most of these elderly men work a full season and many all the year round. The present circumstances makes a compulsory retirement at 65 necessary in all industries. This, except In an isolated case or so, would cause no economic hardship and would relieve economic pressures from men with family and other commitments.—Yours, etc., RETIRED FREEZING WORKER. July 3, 1967.

Sir,—lt is sad to see so many young men going to prison for the want of better direction. The manager of the Riccarton carpet factory hit the nail on the head when he mentioned scrub-cutting as alternative employment for redundant workers. There are many hundreds of acres in every province that can be tidied up. Now that so many railway branch lines have been discontinued, treeplanting could take place. The area, though narrow, stretches for many miles and could afford the planting of several rows of yearly pinus. Further work of this nature could be done on more or less abandoned secondary roads. An ever-increasing burden of

rates is being levied on the land occupier and any alleviation by local bodies could result in more labour of a permanent nature being employed on farms. Too many one-man units have been created.—Yours, etc. RATEPAYER. July 1, 1967.