NAMING OF JOBS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20083, 1 November 1939, Page 12

NAMING OF JOBS

AUSTRALIA’S REGISTER OVER 8000 OCCUPATIONS SYDNEY, Oct. Hi. Compilation of the National Register, on which work is at its peak, is adding new terms every day to the Commonwealth occupational index, which has now reached the amazing total of 8004 different occupations for Australian males—from “swagmen” to “bedgreaser.’'

But what is a bed-greaser? The term describes a foundry worker whose special job is greasing certain machinery in a steel-works. “I have one officer specially detailed to check up on terms we have difficulty in classifying,” said Mr. K. Archer, who is in charge of the New South Wales and Queensland indexing which is being done in Sydney. “Aviation has brought in a lot of new names, and this is the first time we have had to classify a 'trolley-bus driver.’ ”

Mr. Archer admitted difficulty in classifying a “medical detail Ist.” a" occupation associated, he said, with commercial travelling. But he readily says on "action filer” is a man wb : ' hand-files metal standards for pianos. A "hatcher" is a man eni'Wed in ■ phase of rope-making; a “alnwrooir major,” man in charge T blowiir' room operatives in textile trade; a “broke boy,’’ worker mot a juvenile) in paper making; a “chaser" puts chases on jewellery.

A “caulker," distinct from the brewery “corker." has his own special job in shipbuilding; a “pro-nbetic specialist,” none other than a dentist a “wet-crabber,” man emobyed r‘ scouring and finishing in textile trade and a "ham-bagger.” just what it implies—a man who bags hams.