PLUMBERS CONFER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 33, 9 February 1937, Page 6

PLUMBERS CONFER

FEDERATION CONFERENCE WELCOMED TO WANGANUI TRADE’S IMPORTANCE STRESSED The annual conference of the New I Zealand Federation of Master Plumbers was opened in Wanganui yesterday morning, delegates being welcomed by the Mayor, Mr. W. J. Rogers. It is the largest and most representative conference held since the federation was formed and a great deal of business relative to the trade, a good deal of it of national interest, was done. It is anticipated that the conference will last until Tiiursaay. To-day the visitors will be tne guests of the Wanganui association at a trip up-river. Mr. Rogers was welcomed by lhe president of the federation, Mr. W. King (Wellington). “I do sincerely bring to you. as delegates from all parts of the Dominion, a welcome from my fellow councillors and citizens to this beauti- ■ ful city,” said the Mayor. The speaker said that it was recognised that this was an age of organisation and conferences. Some were inclined to think that the need for conferences was over, but in the Mayor’s opinion that was not so. “You have many problems in your industry,” he said, “and business perplexities. Sometimes you feel isolated and that you are suffering those difficulties alone, but when \ou get to a conference you meet friends and make new friends and there you find that they suffer the same difficulties and meet with the same problems. You be:ong to a very important and practical profession,” His Worship proceeded, “a profession which is playirig an important part in the health of the community. Sometimes we are tempted to think that we have reached the apex of efficiency in industry, but we find from day to day that there is a long way to go \et. I do congratulate you on the work you are doing, particularly from a health point of view, and my advice to you is to go straight forward for whatever reforms you think are needed; and there are reforms needed; Rome was not built in a day!” (Applause.) Replying, Mr. King assured Mr. Rogers that the conference deeply appreciated the city’s welcome. “You have not overstated the position when jou referred to the importance of our trade or profession,” said the president. “There is no other trade or profession, unless we induce science and the medical profession, which has made a contribution to humanity as great as that of the plumbling trade. We claim that, with the medical profession we have reduced the death rate of the communty and given great assistance to the housewife in the number of appliances the trade has been able to supply.” Officers and Delegates The following officers and delegates are attending the conference;—Federation executive, Messrs. W. King • president), E. S. Walton and R. Bell (vice-presidents); Plumbers’ Board representative, Mr. J. S. Douglas; Auckland delegate, Mr. S. V. Menzies; Blenheim, Mr. A. Gibson; Christchurch. Messrs. F. L. Horne. A. J. Jamieson and C. W. Oborn; Dunedin, Messrs. R. Gemmell, W. S. Jenkins; Hawke's Bay. Mr. E. G. Dowrick; Invercargill. Messrs. R. G. Spiers and

E. Proctor; Palmerston North, Mr. E. R. B. Holben; Timaru, Mr. D. Menzies; Wanganui. Messrs. C. C. Brownlie and T. Russell; Wellington, Messrs. F. Ballinger. E. S. Trask and R. Wainwright; federation secretary, Mr. D. I. Macdonald. Apprenticeship Question With a view to opening skilled trades Io a greater number of boys than have been apprenticed during the past few years, an important remit was moved by lhe Dunedin branch and carried. This action was thought to be desirable owing to a possible shortage of journeymen during lhe next few years. The text, of the resolution carried was as follow: “That with the object of producing more efficient practical tradesmen in lhe sanitary plumbing profession, a special committee be set up to consider and report to the executive any recommendations for the training and employment of apprentices. That lhe executive furnish a cony of the report 1o each affiliated union for its comment thereon. That the executive be empowered tot act upon the result of a decision secured from opinions for carded by a majority of the unions.” Following a discussion on the matIter. a sub-committee comprising ’members of the Dunedin branch was set up to draft recommendations regarding the training of apprentices. Other remits dealing with the apprenticeship question were considered also and it was decided to approach the Government and urge that immediate attention be given to an amendment of the Apprenticeship Act. Oxy-Acetylene Welding Moved by the Dunedin branch, the following remit concerning oxy-acety-lene welding was carried: “That as it is intended by the Plumbers’ Board of New Zealand to include welding and sheet and copper tube pipe work in the examination syllabus of qualifications under the Plumbers’ Registration Act. 1912, this conference strongly recommends members and their employees to take up this work as a branch of the plumbing industry.”