ONE THOUSAND MEN PER MONTH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 194, 15 August 1936, Page 10

ONE THOUSAND MEN PER MONTH

Pl-ACED IN PRIVATE WORK AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD , Arising from the ashes of despondency at its birthplace in Buckle ■ Street, Wellington, the placement ■ scheme, with its 22 branches now • located throughout the Dominion, has i in the brief period of three months be- > come a potent factor in the indus--1 trial life of the country and may • justly lay claim to having already established itself as a necessary adjunct to business recovery and in- ‘ dustrial progress. Each week’s total of placements has sustained a splendid J average, and while the total place- ' ments at the Wellington office over I this period has exceeded 500, the total for the Dominion has reached the ; gratifying aggregate of 3061. ’ Help from Employers and Men 1 These totals have not been reached solely through the industry and en1 thusiasm of the officers of the depart- ’ ment: their efforts have been whole- ’ heartedly backed up by the great mass of employers in their practical ’ response to the offer of facilities for the selection of labour without the int convenience and doubt that sometimes is experienced, and also by the wonderful co-oneration of the men themselves. The placement officers - throughout the Dominion are desirf ous of placing on record their thanks 1 to the business men of every city and - suburb for their greatly-valued assistJ ance. To the unemployed workers s they wish to say that their employ- » ment problems will receive a sympas thetic hearing at the placement office. ; and that every avenue will be ex- ’ plored to place them in suitable jobs. ? Demand for Certain Tradesmen The placement office register, with / its many thousands of enrolments, ~ now embraces all classes of men—s clergymen and calibrators, record ? clerks and rat catchers, accountants f and asphalters. carpet maker; and cooks—all looking for employment. If / the building revival continues in Wels lington, for instance, the placement ’ officer will be at his wits’ end to pro--5 vide sufficient carpenters. His file is ' already showing signs of depletion in 5 respect of this trade. The same story may be related of cabinetmakers, joiners, first-class upholsterers and A ’ grade motor mechanics. In fact, there ! is a dearth of artisans in the engineering trades, first-class mechanics being almost at a premium. The cause j of this is not far to seek. Since , 1930-31 very few additional lads have f been engaged as apprentices, while L many ycung artisans who were just . out of their aoprenticeshin in those . years and who in normal imes would - have been certain of securing suitable i employment, as a consequence of the depression have been totally deprived of the opportunity of following their vocations and may not now be classed as first-class artisans. Given an opJ portunity, however, these men would quickly regain their deftness of hands ’ and brains and again become comJ potent to make responsible positions ? m this very important branch of inj dustry. I Strict Selection Conditions » With the continuous demand for 1 labour of all kinds, the necessity for unceasing care in selecting applicants for specific appointments is realised. This rule is strictly adhered to even ‘ to such an extent that men who consider themselves suitable for a vacancy are often disappointed in their . expectations owing to the officers reJ garding them as not quite measuring . up to the required standard. t After several months’ experience in studying the labour needs of all classes of employers, and the characteristics of men representing hundred 1 ' > of different trades and callings, there f is a general realisation that the suc- » cess of the scheme depends vitally on t the selection of only suitable men to f fill the positions offered. By this f means onlv will men. be placed in their usual vocations. s 1 Men Sent lo Distant Join In the record of business al the placement office at. Wellington for the I week ending August 1, when 64 men 3 were placed in employment, one man j was recommended and accepted for an . important position as far north as » Taumarunui, another for North Tarai naki and a clerical worker was sent i to Greymouth to fill a specialised posi- » tion of trust. Farm hands were sent to Napier and W K airarapa. The tele-

phone wires have been busy with calls for farm and station hands for Seddon and D’Urville Island. Bushmen are required for the Manawatu district and a saw doctor is wanted for Ruru in the West Coast of the South Island. Whatever the usual or unusual need

of employers, a Dominion-wide search can be organised within a few moments, and if there is on the re gister at any placement office in New Zealand a man capable ot filling th< position, he and the prospective em ployer can be put in tov“ H with eacl other very quickly.