FOREMEN NOT IMPORTED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 543, 27 August 1932, Page 9

FOREMEN NOT IMPORTED.

To the Editor. Dear Sir,—The statement made by Dr Beeby that “ rotten ” training of operatives was responsible for New Zealand goods being inferior to imported ones is utterly unjust to local manufacturers and should not; be made without complete substantiation. It is quite obvious that he has no first-hand knowledge of the conditions existing in our factories, for in the woollen industry, with which I am connected, strict training and every opportunity is given to all young members of the staff to enable them to qualify efficiently for the positions of foremen and other higher executive roles. Dr Beebv is entirely wrong in his statement that we have to bring out foremen from England to fill the positions here, and any inquiry in manufacturing circles will disprove fully his remark. Indeed, any past experience of imported experts gives conclusive evidence that they do not compare with many of our own skilled workers. Dr Beeby, like . .'r F. W. Hobbs, is still imbued with the idea that locallymade goods are not in the same street as imported ones, and while he can recognise the undoubted quality of our rugs and blankets, he cannot possibly conceive that any of the other hundreds of lines can be in the same street as imported ones. The pros and cons of New Zealand-made goods have been so fully discussed that any repetition would only appear vain, but the majority of the public are convinced that rugs and blankets are not our only fine achievement. It seems to me in view of the wonderful efforts of our manufacturers in absorbing so many hundreds of bovs within the last few weeks that Dr Beeby will succeed in alienating the very men who are doing their utmost to find work for further boys. If the general public were to take Dr Beeby's statement seriously and refrain from buying New Zealand goods the hundreds of boys for whom work has been recently found would again find themselves in the throes of unemployment. —I am, etc., JUNIOR.