TRAINING SOLDIERS AS CARPENTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10450, 1 December 1919, Page 3

TRAINING SOLDIERS AS CARPENTERS

(To tho Editor "N.Z. Times.") Sir, —The report of tho Repatrjalion Board's conference re training soldiers as carpenters would lead one I<> believe that tho whole scheme had met with universal approval at the hands of all those maceriied, and loft nothing further to be desired. Such, however, is not tho case. Tiio carpenters’ delegates had no power tt> agree to anything. They could only carry hack the proposals to their unions, and leave the union members to accept or reject the proposals, as they saw fit. When the Order-in-Councii referring to. this matter was being dealt nith, the various unions had tho matter under discussion, and the ■ opinion of ' unionists generally was adverse to the whole scheme; and it does not need a prophet to say that the present proposals will be turned down completely. .Still it does not follow that some basis may not be arrived nt by which the desired end can bo attainedOne strong objection is, that employers who do not trouble to teach axiprentices, but lot them drift into the trade, are not likely to take any more trouble with an ible-bodied man, who will make a good labourer on emergencies, and there are those who prophesy that these soldiercarpenters will be more often on tho concrete board than, at Ihe bench. From the unionist point ot tiew three questions are involved, namely : (X) Teaching the soldier a trade; (2) exploiting tho soldier- for- the sake of cheap labour; (3) using the .soldier to break up the present trade conditions with a view to an amount of unemployment. The first question is one that no one has a right to refuse. The other two questions tho unionist has every right to guard himself aguinsfc, go that, ns a result of this, wo have to protect ‘he soldier against himself, to protect him against the exploitations of the employer; also to protect ourselves against the employers. The unionists ore n-. lrr no delusion in this matter; to their mind the average employer Is out for cheap (about. and tho soldier is merely an incidental to its attainment. Tho success of such a scheme demands the co-operation of tho men ao well as employers; the teaching of those men depends upon tho goodwill ot the men they may work with. Unless tho union men Co-opcrato in the working out of tbs scheme it Is doomed to failure. At a time when in the interests of the greater output, the utmost harmony should prevail, it is regrettable that such an ill-advised scheme should be introduced, a scheme that will provoke nothing but hostility. If the question is to be forced on the men against their will tho best that can be hoped from it is milieu resistance. As t have already staled there Is no doubt about tho scheme being turned down by tho rank and file of the unionists. They fail to see why the State should throw .£7OOO a year at the employers for tho sake of introducing 100 men to the position of building trades" labourers. Consequently it would bo wise If those concerned made haste slowly in this matter, unless they deliberately want to court trouble; and at the same time they should take further counsel, with a view to elaborating a scheme that ensures a foir measure of success. - W. HARDISON, National Secretary Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Jointers.