SHORTAGE OF GIRLS

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 19 April 1939, Page 2

SHORTAGE OF GIRLS

MANUFACTURERS’ DIFFICULTIES. WELLINGTON, Last night. Two problems are facing Wellington clothing- manufacturers at present. Those who have stocks of materials are hampered by a shortage of female labor, while those without materials as a result of the import restrictions are doing very little. Both groups have plenty of orders. “The labor shortage in the clothing trade is acute, ” said one manufacturer to-day. “We are not working overtime simply because it is a losing proposition. It is really serious. I have advertised in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and in many other places, such as Napier, Palmerston North and Hawera, and though I have had eight replies I have the prospect of only one of the writers coming from Auckland. “We have orders in hand which we cannot fill. Women will not come to Wellington at, say, 36s a week, because they cannot live here on that. Wellington manufacturers as a whole suffer unnaturally on account of the cost of living. A man coming here

from Auckland or Christchurch wants another pound a week, especially if he is married. I have known employees to go back to Christchurch for less money.” Another manufacturer said his factory was practically idle through lack of material owing' to the import restrictions. Still another said that if the mills supplying his material could not accelerate their output he would be short, as his factory was turning out more than last year. “We are in touch with the placment office every day, but it is unable to supply us with labor, especially young girls,” said one manufacturer. “We can get any amount of elderly women, but what the industry throughout New Zealand wants is girls 16 years of age. “Things would be eased if the Government had a hostel here where girls could live. There are any amount of them in the country, but they do not eome to Wellington because they start at 17s a week and they cannot live here on that.”