THE PAINTING TRADE

Otago Witness, Issue 3448, 13 April 1920, Page 29

THE PAINTING TRADE

CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND. . AUCKLAND, April 6. The fourth annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Master Painters, Decorators, and Signwriters was opened this ■morning. Mr P. T. Birch (Auckland) presided, and 15 delegates from all parts of New Zealand were present. In his report upon the year's operations, the president said the trade had passed through an anxious time owing to difficulties in securing both labour and materials. The number of journeymen painters had been much reduced by the effects of tho war, and at the same time the employers were faced with much renovating work which had aecumulated during the war period. They were thus hard pressed to meet the requirements of their clients. Tho president also referred to the unsuccessful ' attempt which had latterly been made to bring the building trades under ono bur award, and expressed his satisfaction with the result, to which he considered tho Master Painters' Federation had contributed by laying valuable information before the Arbitration Court. During the year attempts had been made to get a Minister of the Crown to consider certain matters affecting the trade (notably the interior inspection of dwellings and the registration of painters), but without success. A renewed effort would be made this year. The executive's report dealt with a number of matters affecting the organisation. The abolition of scrim, it stated, had been well considered, but owing to the shortago of substitute materials nothing definite had been don?. Action had been taken by the Government in the direction of prohibiting tho use of white lead, but this matter was beincr carefully watched. April 8. The conference of the New Zealand Painters' Federation passed resolutions asking the assistance of the Health Department in finding a substitute for scrim, and then to make the use of scrim illegal; that the headquarters this year be Christchurch. The following officers were elected:—President, Mr Lee; vice-president, Mr Sey; secretary, Mr Chahorn; treasurer, Mr Bell; auditor, Mr Lummis; committee —Messrs Collins, Poison, Bowden; Parliamentary Committee —Messrs Nicol, Martin, Gape.