COMMERCIAL Lack Of Skills Again Serious

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32060, 7 August 1969, Page 16

COMMERCIAL Lack Of Skills Again Serious

Frustration at management and labour levels over the lack of skilled staff to do allotted tasks might have contributed to some of the recent industrial unrest, Mr L. J. Donaldson, the chairman of directors of AjaxGKN, Ltd, told the company’s annual meeting recently.

While the attempts being made in Canterbury to bring skilled immigrants to New Zealand from Britain should be supported and applauded, immigration would not provide a long term cure for the shortage of skilled labour, he said. If industry was to develop

economically, it must have continued access to technical skills, but to bring skilled immigrants from another country was an expensive exercise in bearing part of the transport charge and losses through failure of adaptability. “This, I feel, is not a sectional or territorial responsibility, but one of national concern which requires solution on a national basis,” Mr Donaldson said. There was an encouraging increase in demand for AjaxG.K.N. standard products in the quarter to the end of June, he said, and it was apparent that product volume was now returning to a level similar to that before Government action which dampened demand. Speaking of the imminent production of steel in New Zealand, Mr Donaldson said it would be wishful thinking to expect the start of the venture would be without technical and commercial problems. Until such time as enough experience had been gained in steel production, a degree of tolerance would be necessary from those who used and marketed the product But there could be little doubt that in the long term many advantages could accrue from an indigenous supply of raw material. For example, it should encourage a greater per capita use of steel and steel products, Mr Donaldson said.