WORKERS WANTED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1165, 28 June 1911, Page 7

WORKERS WANTED.

GREAT SHORTAGE IN SYDNEY. ROYAL COMMISSION SITS. 1)» TeleEraph- -Press Association—Oopyrlcht Sydney, Juno 27. Tho Royal Commission on tho alleged shortage of labour, has commenced its sittings. Manufacturers stated in evidence that tliey had been compelled to decline orders owing to their inability to obtain artisans. .Several blamed tho dcclino in apprenticeship for the shortage. GREAT SCARCITY OF HANDS. (Rec. June 27, 0.10 p.m.) Sydney, Juno 27. Bcloro (ho Labour Shortage Commission a costume manufacturer mentioned tho difficulty of securing apprentices, and said he would willingly pay fivo shillings weekly abovo tho award rates right Ihrouvh slack and busy times to get apprentices. Ho had had to turn customers away owing to the difficulty of getting | labour. Mr. Ross, a bottle manufacturer, declared that ho could doublo his trade if labour was available. On© witness declared that tho real cause of the shortage was through many of the girls marrying instead of going into 'industries, THE STATIONARY BIRTH-RATE. THOUSANDS OF WORKERS WANTED. Tho New South Wales State Government recently appointed Mr. A. 1). Piddington, barrister, a Royal Commission to inquire into tho shortage of labour in Now South Wales, and tho following questions wero to 1)0 placed before him lor investigation: 1. Tho alleged shortage of labour in tho State.^ 2. The hours and general conditions of employment of female and juvenile labcur in factories and shops, and tho effect upon such employees. 3. Tho cause of tho deeliuo of tho apprenticeship of boys in the skilled trades, and tho practicability of using technical trado classes as aids to, or substitutes for, apprenticeship. At a meeting of manufacturers held in Sydney on March 30 statements were mado j as to tho shortage of girl labour, and jit was declared that Sydney and M'tlbourno between them could absorb '5000 fomaio factory hands. Complaints have also been mado of a great dearth of boy labour. The position in Sydney tho "Herald" declares to bo unprecedented. On all sides thero is the same cry. And it is not only a matter that affects shops and factories, it touches tho homo also, for thero never was a time when domestic servants wero so scarco as at present. Mr. Sparks, secretary of the Sydney Chamber of Manufactures, when asked how ho accounted for the scarcity, said: "I think that it is because tho peoplo are now using more Australian-made goods than over before. Tho old prejudices are dying, and Australians are purchasing the locally-manufactured articles. The tariff is, of course, largely responsible for this. Our manufactures have taken a great leap ahead of recent years, and today thero are no fewer than 4000 manufacturers in New South Wales. We hopo that 'manufactures week' will have tho effect of wiping out what small prejudice still remains against Australian-inado goods. The Chamber of Manufactures is taking the whole matter up, and a conference between the chamber and manufacturers generally will be held on Monday in regard to the obtaining of labour from abroad.". Root of the Trouble. A gentleman connected with ono of the chief retail houses in Sydney declared that the manufacturers were not the only peoplo who were suffering from tho dearth of labour. "We all have the same trouble in obtaining suitable boys, as well as girls," he said, '"whether it be for clerical or any other kind of work. I advertised tho other day for a youth of 18 as a junior clerk, salary 30s. a week to commence, and only three applicants turned up. That serves to illustrate tho position. Despite tho fact that wages have pone up• all round, wo still have ft difficulty ill filling vacancies. What is tho reason? Do the bovs like school- so much that they are loth to leave it' to go to business? Al tho root of tho trouble, I think, is tho declining birth-rate. Tho birth-rate has been stationary, and that at a wry low level, for a long time past, and there are not many boys coming on. I m afraid the position is going to become even more acvito in tho future.' The sccrctarv of the Sydney Labour Council (Mr. E. J. Kavanagli) took a different view, and said: Personally, i think a lot of tho talk about an acute shortage of girl labour is so much rubbish. But wo are not going to treat it in that way, as every investigation will bo made. Tho other day I noticed a statement to tho effect that 10,000 machinists were required. Now, I doubt whether there are 10,000 machinists employed m Svdnev at the present time. Even if wo have that number, it means that with 10,000 more the output would be doubled, and that is highly improbable. . . Tho wages and conditions of employment in factories aro not such as to entice girls to • adopt such work as their means ox livelihood."