ADULT LABOUR-TRAINING

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 May 1939, Page 3

ADULT LABOUR-TRAINING

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

[TTR PRESB ASSOCIATION.]

CHRISTCHURCH. May 11

The suggestions made by the Government for subsidising the wages of adult labour apprenticed to various trades in secondary industry have mol with the approval of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federal ion, according to an announcement by the Minister for Labour (Mr. Webb), who arrived in Christchurch yesterday. He added that the New Zealand Federation of Labour would call a conference next week of the unions that would be affected by the scheme, and this would be followed by a further conference of representatives of the employers and the unions, to be. convened by the Minister. Its purpose would be to discuss details of the plan tor the subsidising of wages and for the conducting of the scheme on a basis that would be satisfactory to both sides. The Minister said that he was confident that satisfactory arrangements could be made. Importation of labour was the alternative to such a plan. He emphasised the need for training New Zealanders who had missed their opportunity during the depression. There, were hundreds of young men isolated in the baekblocks. building country roads, who could profitably be drawn into employment in the secondary industries. They had bad some experience in handiwork, were physically fit, and in many cases, highly educated. He felt certain that they would give y good account of themselves if they were given an opportunity of learning a trade. “On the evidence that has been placed before me.” the Minister said, “it is clear that sufficient young labour is not available to expand production. From every tingle it seems imperative that, more men must be brought in from those classes of work that are generally described as being unproductive and trained in industries.

“It must be evident that unless there is a big increase in the production of those goods that are necessary to the community then the alternative will be to import goods that, should be produced here.

“Already a large number of overseas firms which have previously exported goods to New Zealand have decided to establish factories and workshops in New Zealand with the object of retaining their market. These factories will require labour, and although it is unavoidable that key workers will be sent to New Zealand •with the plant and machinery needed for these new factories, the training of our own adult labour is an absolute necessity.” The Minister said that, as stated by the Minister for Customs (Mr. Nash), New Zealand’s imports would be greater this year than last, in spite of the restrictions, but they would be of a different character. it was essential that supplies of raw material and machinery should be imported, or, an appreciable expansion of production would be impossible. Mr. Nash had also made it clear that for every £1 worth of goods imported by Great Britain from New Zealand, £1 worth of British goods would be purchased by New Zealand. To maintain this arrangement and use it to New Zealand’s advantage more production was necessary, and to obtain that production, supplies of skilled labour were urgently needed.