SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 30, 29 October 1937, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

Skilled Tradesmen Needed in Building Trade POSITION IN HASTINGS In keeping with other towns and cities tliroughout New Zealand there is a definite shortage of skilled parpenters and joinery workers in the building trade in Hastings. Though none of the contingent of English carpenters who landed recently at> Auckland have come to this district, |rom the comment made this morning by two leading building contractors they would be welcomed if they did arrive. "I could do with a dozen skilled men riglit now," said one contractor. "I am employing as many as I can get, but that is not nearly enough. There is plenty of work available and I have to be very careful in the number of jobs I take in hand because 1 ara iimited by not having the men for the jobs. "The best that I can do at present is to arrango my jobs po that 1 can keep the men working continuously, going on from one job to another and not giving them any daya off between, lor iear that they will find work OU some other job," he said. A leading joinery contractor declared that it was impossible to keep skilled workmen even if such were to be obtained. "The majority of them have goiie off to the cities where they can earu bigger money," he said. "I have more work, in hand that 1 really want and have had to turn down several jobs lately. There is an acute shortage of skilled craftsmeu, though there is plenty of unskilled labour obtainable. The trouble with the unskilled labour, however, is that tbe wages ara too high lor they are not worth the money."