SKILLED LABOUR FROM ABROAD

Southland Times, Issue 23740, 11 February 1939, Page 8

SKILLED LABOUR FROM ABROAD

Government Housing Scheme CONSTRUCTION TO BE SPEEDED UP INSUFFICIENT TRADESMEN IN NEW ZEALAND (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 10. The steps that are to be taken by the Government to accelerate housing construction in the Dominion were outlined by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) in an interview at the conclusion of today’s caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party. He said that immediate efforts were to be made to obtain skilled tradesmen from abroad and to train a greater number of New Zealanders for the building trade. The housing problem said Mr Savage, had been discussed very fully by members of the caucus. The Minister for Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) had given an address in which he gave extensive details of the State housing scheme and referred to the difficulty of obtaining the services of a sufficient number of experienced tradesmen. Everyone was of the opinion that immediate steps should be taken to bring skilled men from abroad and to train more New Zealanders for the building trade as well. It was felt that unless some such action were taken it would be impossible to overtake the arrears of years in the construction of houses, Efforts would be made in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia to obtain the additional tradesmen required from overseas. Australia and Canada were probably the most suitable countries, because the tradesmen there were more accustomed to colonial building requirements. Mr Savage said the activities of the Labour Department were also the subject of a report by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb). “This department would be concerned in the training of additional tradesmen in this country and proposals had been submitted by Mr Webb for having men from the 138 Scheme trained in building and other crafts and restored back to industry. Further consideration, said Mr Savage, had also been given to the matter of industrial expansion within the Dominion. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) reported on the progress made up to the present. Every member of the party would be taking part in the campaign in support of New Zealand industries. Defence was to be discussed at the resumed meeting of the caucus in the morning and it was hoped to finish the caucus by midday. “We have had a very interesting two days discussing and considering things that matter at the moment,” said Mr Savage.