CLOTHING TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23018, 21 April 1938, Page 14

CLOTHING TRADE

SHORTENING OF STAFFS MANUFACTURERS' VIEWPOINT REPLY TO ACCUSATIONS [by telegraph OWN* correspondent] WELLINGTON, Wednesday "In the course of his remarks concerning the shortening of staffs in the clothing trade, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, stated that he did not know the cause of the trouble. It is accordingly a pity that he did not leave it at that," says a statement of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation. "Unfortunately ho went on to accuse employers of dismissing workers in order to make a stronger impression on the Government. This is a statement quite unworthy of the Minister. We can only assume t hat it was not wilful misrepresentation, but was made in ignorance of facts already in possession of those other Government departments which are charged with the duty of administering matters concerning tho manufacturing industries. "The position is exactly the opposite to that stated by the Minister. Some months back the Minister of Industries and Commerce, tho Hon. D. G. Sullivan, expressed his appreciation of tho federation's action in laying down a policy that tho manufacturers should avoid dismissals of workers whom it was in any way possible to retain. As a result of acting on these lines manufacturers in many cases have suffered definite and substantial financial loss. Now, in addition, they arc subjected to this accusation from tho Minister of Labour. Workers in manufacturing industries know and appreciate the position. We would suggest that the Minister endeavour to mako personal contact with tho workers themselves, when ho will gain some real idea of the very fine personal relations existing between many manufacturers and their staffs. "Christchurch statements of tlit> position of the clothing trade in that city cannot, unfortunately, be dinmissed as 'pure fiction' in the manner of Mr. J. Roberts, secretary of tli« New Zealand Clothing Trades Federation," says the statement. "When Mr. Roberts returns to Christchurch lie will find that the truth is, in this case, stranger than fiction. While tho federation of Labour has, according to press reports, been arranging to ask the Government for another increase all round in wages, it is, under present conditions, being found impossible to retain at the existing level of wages the workers employed in the various divisions of the clothing trade. The statement that a heavy shortening of staffs is occurring in Christchurch is correct, regardless of Mr. Roberts' contentions."