Critical Staff Position In City Tramways

Chronicle (Levin), 3 November 1949, Page 2

Critical Staff Position In City Tramways

INVERCARGILL, Nov. 2. Tlie Invercargill oliice of the Deparljnent of Labour ancl Employment has reeeived a circular from the head offiee, Wellington, requesting the local office i to attemp to obtaiil applications for positions of conductors 011 the Wellingtaon City Corporation tramways. The circular states: "The deterioration in the stafling position of the traffio brancli of the Wellington City Corporation tramways has progressed to such an extent recently as to become criticai. Tlie maintenance of the city transport service, which is already seriously curtailod with the present rate of staff reeruitnieut, is impossible, and unless sufiicient stalf can be obtained to at least replenish the higli wastage further and grave restriction of the serviees cannot be avoided. While the iiositioh is not so serious at Auckland at the nioment there are iiulications that it is rapidly becoming so." Single aeeommodaton will be avaiiable in the departnient 's camps with the tariif at 37s (3d a week. An employment agenev recently opened in invercargill has found business brisk. It does not consider itself in oi>position to the National Employment Service. In the past week the the agency has reeeived inquiries from 12 employers. About 24 men were wanted, carpenters being niost in dcmand. Other inquiries were for gardqners, farm workers and domestics. Only four men sought employment and oue man has been placed. The service is provided on a connnission basis fixed under the Servants' Registry Offices Aet. Where a person is placed both the employer and employee contribute to this eommission. Tlie fee is on a graduated seale of a certain percentag6 in the £ of the vvage to be earned.