MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21773, 12 October 1932, Page 10

MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF COMMITTEE A meeting of committee of the Dunedin Manufacturers' Association was held last evening, the president (Mr J. G. Jeffery) occupying the chair. There was a goqd attendance of members. VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE. The Dunedin Vocational Guidance Committee wrote advising that, consequent on the support afforded it by the association and kindred bodies, 86 unemployed boys had been placed ihc work. It was shortly hoped to accommodate a further 10 or 20, but it was deemed necess&ry to make a further “drive” among shops and factories. In this matter the committee ven-. tured to expect a continuance of the support already given. The chairman said he thought the matter should again .be under the control of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr G. Adess, representative of the association on, the committee, outlined the work done to date, stating that there were still about 522 boys still in search of employment,- It was not intended to make anotherdrive ” before Christmas.’ The speaker understood that as a result of the investigations of Messrs Ansell and Smith throughout the Dominion amendments would be made to the Apprenticeship Act and the .Shops, and Offices Act, thus facilitating the work of the committee. , , The chairman stressed the necessity for some provision being made in the huge education vote for the engagement of permanent vocational guidance officers in_each of the four centres. There was-little use in educating young people with no regard to the opportunities existing for employment when they left school. The meeting agreed that an assurance should be given the committee of the association’s continued support. UNEMPLOYED VOLUNTEERS. . r Mr Keitlr Ramsay (hon. lieutenant of, the Royal | Volunteer Naval ’ Reserve) wrote on behalf of the boys of the reserve, many of whom were seeking employment. The writer forwarded names and addresses of youths in search of work, and asked the association to commend their cases to its members. The chairman said the same appeal could be made in respect of territorial defence units. Under the voluntary system in both services only the better type of youth enlisted, and members requiring employees could rely on getting worthy boys from those sources. It was resolved to advise the writer that the association would be glad to cooperate with the vocational .guidance officer in the matter. MINING DEVELOPMENT.

Mr W. H. Lambert, on behalf of the sub-committee dealing with the proposal to dam Lakes Hawea and Wanaka for the development of mining, said that the question had been investigated with special reference to the efforts that were being made by the Otago Expansion League to have a thorough examination of every phase of the scheme. There seemed to be a great deal to support the view that a Government survey of the proposal should be undertaken. Some of the statements made in support of the scheme were almost incredible. It was claimed that 30,000 miners could be engaged, a quarter of a million pounds’ worth of gold would be won from every foot of fall in the river below late levels, and finally the irrigation of 14,000 acres would provide a livelihood for 140 families. In the face of such evidence in support of the scheme the committee recommended that. the association should lend its support to the representations at present being made to the Government to have a comnlete survey of the possibilities of the proposal.