APPEAL BY MINISTER

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1937, Page 8

APPEAL BY MINISTER

For Co-operation WITH PLACEMENT SERVICE. [Per Press Association], WELLINGTON. August 13. An appeal to all classes to cooperate with the State placement service, in the endeavour to find employment for men and youths, was made by the Acting Minister of Labour (Mr Webb), in declaring open the new placement offices to-day, the expansion of the service having necessitated improved quarters. He said the importance of the service lay in the fact that it was launched to extend the hand of help and sympathy to young men who had missed their opportunities during the depression. During the past two years substantial increases had been made in the way of apprenticeships, and the number had increased from below 3000 in 1933 to approximately 6000 at the present time. In 1928, there were 10,000 young men learning trades in New Zealand. Judging at the rate at which apprenticeships were being arrived at, he anticipated that by the end of the year, the position would be back to normal or even ahead of normal. One regrettable fact, however, was the great bulk of the new apprentices were coming from the ranks of boys just leaving school. He wanted to stress the necessity of the co-operation of all sections of the public in tackling the problem of getting the older ones apprenticed, and he instanced the case of one man aged 34, who had been apprenticed. Mr A. J. Ridler, Director of the Service, said if it were to be one of benefit to all it could not take heed of politics or religion. It had been said that certain sections received preference. That was not so. All were treated the same. Mi’ J. Lewis, senior placement officer, said the staffs throughout the Dominion were out to help the employers.