JOINERS WANTED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 9, 26 January 1937, Page 6

JOINERS WANTED

Housing Scheme Advertised in Britain MEN FOR NEW FACTORY

Building-trade circles are puzzled re^ garding develdpments concerning the joinery factory erected in Wellington by the Government as part of the new housing scheme. It is authoritatively reported that the factory has been leased to a substantial firm of building contractors who, it is expected, wiU tmdertake an important part of the new housing scheme. Comment is also being excited by the fact that advertisements have appeared in British journals calling for applications for joiners to work in New Zealand. The advertisements "have resulted in a protest being made by the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners. The secretary of the Auckland branch of the Society has written to the TJnder-S ecretary in Charge o£ Housing, Mr J. A. Lee, and a cabla message has been sent by the union to Britain in an endeavour to prevent any man coming to the Dominion "without due knowledge of the fact# of the case." The cause of dissatisfaction is parn* " graphs which have appeared in New Zealand daily papers and in the "New Zealand Builder" within recent weeks. The first paragraph read as follows: — "A Wanganui resident has received • chpping from a Glasgow newspaper stating that vacancies exist in New Zealand for joiners. The advertisement, under 'situations vacant', reads as follows: 'Joiners for New Zealand, 20 experienced men required; wages 2/6J per hour, 40-hour week; no Saturday work.' Applicants were- required to write to an advertiser'a box number at the 'Daily Record,' Glasgow. EXPLANATION DUE. The artiele in the "New Zealand Builder" stated; "In the October isymber oi ihe 'Timber News and SawmiU Chronicle,' published in London, appears the followingi advertisement; 'Wanted for New Zealand, joinery factory foreman to tak© full charge of tha manufacture of all classes of joinery for housing. Pref erence will be given foremen having had experience in the manufacture of joinery trnder . housing schemes. For full particulars please apply to Box 194, Timber News, Ltd., 6 Tower Hill, London, E.C.3.' " "While we consider that no further explanation is needed from our point of view, we think that ther© is a very definite explanation due to the men from the Minister of Housing," etate® the union's letter to Mr Lee in referring to the advertisements. "As you will see from an artiele in the 'Builder,' the viewpoint of the builder* themselves is similar to ours in that the advertisement. shows either a definite understanding with the Ministry by a certain firm, or else a cynical disregard of both the wishes and policy of the Government. SOME COMMENT "On, our referring the matter to tha Director of Housing Construction, ha said that he knew nothing of this rdvertisement, as indeed he could not, as he only took up his appoiutment in the middle of September, and the advertisement .must have left New Zealand for insertion before then. There are many things that could be said. We will mention only two of them: (1) The advertisement is not a departmental one; tho persons who inserted it (in September last) must have then felt pretty certain they were goingj to get a lease of the factories; (2) a* joinery for houses is, in many respects, essentially different in New Zealand from Qreat Britain, the fact 'hat thev should advertise for a i- eman there mstead of proposing to einploy ohe of the many capable men in New Zealand is hardly flattering either (a) to. their own knowledge or ability necessary to carry qut housing work, or (b) to the workmen of New Zealand and the Government which, in letting contracts, desires to see that New Zealand men and New Zealand materials are wholly employed."