BUILDING ARTISANS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 117, 18 April 1939, Page 8

BUILDING ARTISANS

SELECTION IN AUSTRALIA

MR J. HODGENS RETURNS

“At each place we visited we were swamped with applicants as soon as our advertisements appeared in the newspapers,” said Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., in speaking to an “Evening Standard” reporter of his experience in Australia on a two months’ mission of selecting building artisans to come to New Zealand to assist in the Government’s house-building scheme. Mr Hodgens was accompanied by Mr J. Thompson, a clerk in the Public

Works Department, Wellington, as assockato, and their itinerary included Sydney. Melbourne, Adelaide, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong. Brisbane and Newcastle. . j “Employment conditions in Australia ' may perhaps be summed up in the statement that in Sydney we interviewed 1700 applicants, in Melbourne ' o/x) and a like number altogether at the other centres, so tb-at it might be said that the building is languishing somewhat in the Commonwealth at present.” | A total of 153 men were selected, tins [being made up as follows: —Caipenters 303. bricklayers 29, plasterers 34, painters and paper-hangers 42, plumisers 21, electricians 7. fibrous plaster nv’-ker 1, and roof tilers 11. Indications were that the number who would j actually come to Now Zealand would be in the vicinity of 400, as there was a provision that before a person could [leave Australia taxation payments bad

to be brought right up to date, and it w.'is known that there were some | among those selected, unfortunately, i who might not be able to fulfil their obligations in this regard. Building trade executives were opposed to his mission, said Mr Hodgens, and at first there had been disfavour expressed in some trades union circles. but he had been able to win their confidence and co-operation once the purpose of the mission had been explained to them. At all the centres he visited ho addressed groups at the Trades Hall, eon- ' tinned Mr Hodgens, and lie expressed keen appreciation of the manner in which they had co-operated with him. Expressions of regret had been made when it was known that the selections were confined to single men. Many j married men had volunteered to cross the Tasman at tlioir own expense, provided they were allowed to bring their families with them, but Air Hodgens had had to advise thorn, in the words of the Prime Minister, that although men with families would he especially favoured, New Zealand could not take them for at least 12 months owing to the shortage of houses. If they were i still interested after 12 months they were to apply to the New Zealand Trade Commissioners in the various con- j Ires, who would be able to toll them

what the current position was. Considerable publicity was given in the Australian Press to Mr Hodgeus’s mission, this aiding him in no small measure ; the Pressmen were exceedingly keen and lie had been surprised on arriving in Sydney to find the interest that was being taken in his mission to the Commonwealth. The publicity accorded him had been kindly, and typical of the Australian trait of friendliness to a visitor. As a. result of the newspaper publicity, lie had received, on arriving home in Palmerston North, an enquiry from a building artisan in Beliast, Northern Ireland, seeking consideration for selection.