RAID SHELTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1942, Page 6

RAID SHELTERS

MORE MEN AT WORK

TIMBER COME TO HANI)

More, men are at work at the shelter jobs so far started. These are at the Hobson Street gully. : near the Carillon, forming hew exit routes, and trench and clearing work at various locations. More will be reporting tomorrow and onwards. Shelter work in private buildings has not yet been commenced, though many plans are approved. "'.'"..: A large quantity of heavy timber —ten truck loads—required for shelter work is on hand. This timber was ordered by requisition to the National Service Department on Friday. It was put on the trucks by. Sunday night or Monday morning and arrived here at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. This would be fast delivery even under, normal peace- - time conditions. ; The numbers of men requisitioned for on Friday were 125 general labourers, 75 tunnellers, and 25 carpenters. The numbers'- at- work this morning were: 68 labourers, 8 tunnellers, and 4 carpenters. . To bring the numbers up to the required totals men are to be withdrawn from.various civil jobsb in and about the city. It is very difficult to get tunnellers, but inquiries are being received by members of the Man-power 'Committee from far outside Wellingtori. ; , One present difficulty is the lack of balance between skilled and,unskilled men,-as there must be a miniriium proportion^ skilled tradesmen to enable unskilled men to be employed in large numbers. However, the withdrawal of tradesmen from non-essential civil work should give "this balance. Another difficulty. -There are inevitable .difficulties in setting under way such a rushed major programme of work; A Petone contractor, with a team of. five skilled bricklayers and , two labourers (and with experience of actual air-raid shelter : building > in. Manchester prior to coming to New Zealand), called at the "Evening Post" today and stated that he had offered the services of himself and his men as an expert team. ' He was: told, however, 'that there is no work for bricklayers at the moment, and consequently-his services and those of'his men; in'that" trade, could not be used at present.Inquiries made by the reporter con-. firmed that there is no work for bricklayers at present, as all available bricks are required for other essential defence work. If the contractor and his men offered themselves for. any work available they could be placed at once, and within a few ' days^ it would be possible to start them in concrete work. ....