NEW CENTRE OPENED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 212, 7 August 1945, Page 6

NEW CENTRE OPENED

CARPENTRY TRAINING The new carpentry trade training centre in Maire Street, conducted under tlie lleiiabilitution Department, was yesterday declared officially open by the Minister of .Rehabilitation (Mr Skinner). Mr Skinner was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr Mans Lin'd) and Mr J. liodgens, ALP., and he was accorded cheers lor coming to perform the official opening. There was a representative attendance of members of local bodies, the farmers’ Union, employers’ interests and trade unions. The centre, it was explained, aims to provide the initial steps in a twoyear training course, at the close of which the trainee should be able to undertake all the ordinary carpentry work in the building of a house. In the course of his address, Mr Mansford said the provision ot such trade training centres was the least the country could do for cx-servicemon, who had gone overseas, in many cases, before entering any trade. Mr Hodgens touched on the previous efforts of the Government to provide artisans for the building of houses and be mentioned his mission to Australia in IIJ3B-!39.l I J3B-!39. when this had been successful to the extent that nearly 4UO artisans had come to Hew Zealand to assist in the Government’s programme. One of the most important aspects of rehabilitation was trade training, said the Minister, and the centre would give training to men in a calling which would assist the country generally. The provision of homes in itself was most important for an ex-serviceman, lor until he had a decent home lie could not be said to have been rehabilitated. Other remarks made by the speakers are reported elsewhere in this issue.