REGISTRY OFFICES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1913, Page 2

REGISTRY OFFICES

• to tbs tmiOß. 1 Sir,— ln a New Zealand newspaper of recent date, I noticed a paragraph containing a statement -made by Mr. E. J. Ca r rey dealing with registry offices. Mr. Carey ' goes on to say if employers would only use the union offices instead •of private registry offices a better class of employee could be obtained without cost to the employer. lam a unionist, but say that unionism is practically of no use to the man Cook, married couple, or servant girl, who go to' country work, because when the rules of the union are infringed who is to pay the expenses of ihe union official to the job bo as to investigate the matter? Again, should the employer be in the right, who is to pay the expenses of litigation ? And the union officials" expenses until the case is heard;?, Therefore t thai Trades Hall would be-of very »lighifc use 1 to this class of worker. I also find that tho best class of artisan seeks employment for himself,- and generally 'finds it. The slow-working immigrants rind the' (partly skilled man -arc -usually the class io rely on their union -secretary to find them employment. 'Will the secretary" of the Wellington Society of Painters and Decorator* deny that dozens of men have joined his union who had never used a paint brush, and who were Wde "skilled workers by a payment of ,5s entry fee to the society? The same state of affairs obtained in all the building trades, and hundreds of unskilled men are being manufactured into tradesmen by the various unions. I am 6ure tho Government Employment Bureau is "by far the ' best institution for employers and employees to use. But it must be free from Trades Hall in- ! fluence, which it was not when I 'oft New Zealand eighteen months ago. . With regard to registry offices, I don't think they are harmful, so long as, their fees are regulated by law, and those fees should be very low. Seeing that' New Zealand ia about to inaugurate a Public Service Board, a few words about the New South Wales public Service Board might interest your readers. The. Public Servkc Board hero is satisfactory in every way to compefcent Workerie, aiid has^proved successful. All positions vacant are duly advertised in the newspapers, and any one is free to make application. Those with the highest > credentials secure the job. The rrattlt is the public service is obtaining the best class of workers, and the army of men who secured jobs in former times through political influence are gradually^ being ousted.-— I am, etc., JAMES J. O'DONOGHIJE. "Star brook," Dillon-street, Rushcutters 'Bay, Sydney, 17th January,