ELECTRICAL WORK

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 8

ELECTRICAL WORK

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l have beeh moved to write this letter by the most interesting table in Saturday's "Post" of the wages paid to different trades in the building industry. It will be noted that one of the most specialised of the skilled tradesmen is the most poorly paid, i.e., the electrician. He has to serve five years' apprenticeship together with technical instruction in the evenings, and pass a very stiff theoretical and practical examination before he is able to earn the princely sum of eightpence per day more than an ordinary labourer. I may say that it is to the credit of most employers that they pay slights ly above award rates.

Apart from the wages, there are other aspects of the electrical trade that would bear investigation by the Government. Firstly, there is the indiscriminate sale of electrical material to the public. This should bo prohibited. The Public Works Department has evolved a very elaborate and, tof course, very necessary set of regulations, mainly for the protection of the consumer from the unscrupulous or negligent worker. Every registered electrician has to abide by these regulations to the letter. But the handy amateur is able to purchase 'any kind of electrical material and make unlimited hazardous installations until found by a vigilant inspector, who unfortunately discovers .only a small proportion. This should be stopped at its source, that is, the sale of the material. The housewife's iron fails to function and her husband or spn who "is so clever, he can do anything with electricity," gets to work, and fits a new cord or element well enough to make it work. If the repair is done incorrectly, this may be unsuspected until one day the housewife is ironing in the kitchen and happens to touch the stove or a water tap and receives a severe, if not fatal, shock,

There are also too many factories and other works where handy men are allowed to interfere with, alter, and repair all kinds of electrical apparatus with possibly dangerous results. During the depression electricians were among the very first to become unemployed owing to their being almost totally dependent on new building work. Wiring installations last practically the life of the building, while painters, plumbers, carpenters, and others are needed periodically for repairs and renovations. Now that things

have livened up the authorities should improve the conditions of a trade that is very necessary for the comfort, convenience, and safety of the general public.—l am, etc.,

SPARKS.