THEFTS OF TOOLS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20012, 10 August 1939, Page 11

THEFTS OF TOOLS

CARPENTERS' LOSSES TOTAL OP £SOO A YEAR AUCKLAND DISTRICT STAT]' HOUSING WORK (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Al (hough thefts of tradesmen's tools are frequent, the position of late has been acute, according to a statement made by Mr. J. G. Kennerley, secretary of Ihe Auckland Carpenters and. Joiners' Union. The losses suffered by tradesmen were estimated to involve £SOO in the Auckland district annually. The complaints of thefts in recent weeks had come mostly from the State housing jobs, said Mr. Kennerley. It was estimated that tools valued at £SO had disappeared from one work alone. The matter had been reported to the union and to the police, and the police were making inquiries.' Smart work by the police was responsible for a plane stolen over 12 months ago being returned to its owner. Located in a second-hand dealer's shop, the plane had the owner's name erased from it, but by treating it scientifically the police were able to bring the name up and, with the co-operation of the union, they were able to restore the plane to the owner. Never a week went by without a complaint being lodged, said Mr. Kennerley, who emphasised the necessity for men losing tools to notify the police or the union. The loss had to be borne by the workers as they were not insured against theft. Formerly, the union had a system, of making grants for the replacement of tools, and in one year this involved an expenditure of £4OO. As the members did not make any actual contribution to the fund, it became depleted and was finally closed.