Hotels To Recruit Australian Girls

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31585, 24 January 1968, Page 1

Hotels To Recruit Australian Girls

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 23. Even though there is unemployment in New Zealand, hotels are still short-staffed and will have to recruit more Australian girls to fill the vacancies.

Mr T. Sheehy, industrial officer for the Hotel Association of New Zealand, said today that hotels had “a substantial number of vacancies.” “The industry, naturally, would prefer to employ New Zealand staff but, in spite of the increase reported in unemployment, staff are just not coming forward in adequate numbers,” said Mr Sheehy. “A substantial number of

vacancies exists, particularly for female staff as kitchen hands, general hands, waitresses and housemaids. The majority of these are live-in positions with full board and lodging provided. Working and living conditions are good and overtime and penal rates are payable where applicable.” Mr Sheehy said the hotel industry had employed many university students during the Christmas holiday period. Without this short-term labour, hotels would have been faced with severe staffing pro-

blems at a time when accommodation and facilities were heavily taxed by tourists and holiday-makers. FIFTY JOBS Estimates of vacancies varied from day to day, but there would be about 50 jobs available for girls in the hotels represented by the association, said Mr Sheehy. “With the increase in the number of new hotels, more career opportunities exist at all levels of employment, and there are opportunities for advancement to managerial positions,” he said. “It is therefore disappointing that the hotel industry in the past has had to rely on Australian girls to meet the staffing shortages.” In an effort to remedy present shortages, Mr Sheehy said the Hotel Association was again sending a representative, Mrs A. L. Beck, to Australia to recruit additional Australian girls to staff hotels in different parts of the country.