HUNDRED MEN FOR JOBS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21179, 28 October 1938, Page 9

HUNDRED MEN FOR JOBS

WORK IN BUILDING TRADE Bound from Australia to Dominion Surprise Expressed in ' Christchurch NO SCARCITY OF LABOUR United Press Association—By Elo“trlo Tel egrapb—Copyright (Received October 27, 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 27. Mr Andrew Fletcher, director of the Fletcher Construction Company of New Zealand, before sailing from Sydney in the Awatea for Wellington last night, said that he had engaged one hundred Australian carpenters, bricklayers and plasterers for work on New Zealand building schemes as he could foresee a shortage of skilled labour in New Zealand. All the men engaged were single. NO SHORTAGE IN CITY POSITION IN BUILDING TRADE REPORT CAUSES SURPRISE Bv Telegraph— Preap Association CHRISTCHURCH, October 27. Surprise at the statement of Mr Andrew Fletcher that he had engaged one hundred skilled workmen to come over to New Zealand to relieve the shortage of carpenters, bricklayers, and plasterers, was expressed by Mr E. C. Sutcliffe, secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, when Mr Fletcher’s statement was referred to him. There had been a slight drain of carpenters away to Wellington for work on the Exhibition buildings, but he was not prepared to admit there was a shortage, said Mr Sutcliffe. It was certain that if very many men were brought from overseas to Christchurch there would be a definite surplus. At present the Government was not training men for the building trade, except in the Railway workshops, but a lot of the employers who alleged that there was a shortage, were men who liked workers to be continually seeking jobs from them. Certain employers had gained unenviable reputations during the depression and many of the men when looking for work were not prepared to work for such men. The Fletcher Construction Company was not building in Canterbury, said Mr Sutcliffe, and he could not say as to what conditions prevailed in the North Island. He understood that the trade was very active up there. Dealing with bricklayers, Mr J. E. Jones, a City Councillor and an employer of labour, said that there was a definite demand for bricklayers. Many tradesmen were fully employed on Government jobs and he considered that there probably were vacancies for about six men in Christchurch. He had received no complaints regarding a shortage of plasterers, but he thought that all skilled men were fairly busy.