TRAINING FOR UNEMPLOYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 13

TRAINING FOR UNEMPLOYED

Sir, —In Saturday's Herald your correspondent, J. Donovan, states that at the present time there is a shortage of skilled labour. I have in my mind at present, four tradesmen, all good men with years of experience, who have had a very lean time lately. Also I have noticed in the situations wanted columns, advertisements inserted by various skilled tradesmen who, in some cases, have offered a premium for the hire of their services. Further, there are some 56,000 men on relief, and I hope J. Donovan is not going to tell me ■ that they are all unskilled. In addition, I notice that there is a proposal to train youths in the footwear trade, and yet the secretary of the New Zealand Federated Boot Trades' Association states that he has 128 adult skilled journeymen unemployed. In my own line I have 14 years' experience, and for four solid years I have tried to obtain employment, but the employers prefer juniors with slight experience. There is no shortage of skilled labour, and I will venture to say that most employers prefer semiskilled labour at lower rates of pay, and if I am wrong perhaps J. Donovan or some other reader will tell mo what the employers do want. A. W. Johnston.