CARPENTERING

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1937, Page 2

CARPENTERING

OVERSEAS MEN GUARANTEED WORK. (Per Press Association— Copyright). WELLINGTON, September 21. Fifteen Wellington carpenters were discharged from, the State Housing construction job at Lower Hutt last Thursday. The carpenters who came from Great Britain and from Australia were kept on. The Secretary iof the Wellington City Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, Mr J. Moulton, stated to-day that overseas labour was engaged through advertisement in overseas papers. One such advertisement inserted in the Glasgow Daily Record offered a written guarantee of three years’ work. Some local carpenters, he said had been several years on relief work at low rates. He said that the housing scheme was not only intended to meet the shortage of homes, but to provide work, for New Zealand tradesmen. WTien men were discharged at Lower Hutt. Ik? brought the position created under the notice of an officer of the company in charge of the housing construction. He had since received the assurance that the men would .be taken on again.

Mr Moulton said the fact still remained, however, that, these men would have to work with ‘‘the axe over their heads” ali the time, while imported labour was able to carry on under the guarantee. It was hard on some of the carpenters who had had long pericxls out of work, and who jiad a good deal of leeway 10 make up in their private economic positions. It was only fair to mention tlie offer of re-engagement of the. in on, but’ a distinction between guaranteed work for imported labour and 'uncertainty of the employment of local men was worth bringing under public notice.

A man on the job said: “I’ve no objection to men from Home personally. After all, we fought side by side. However, there' has been an industrial revival, over there, and they should pot be brought out here.' to share in any recovery which is rightfully ours ”