LABOR PROBLEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1920, Page 4

LABOR PROBLEM.

UNSETTLED CONDITIONS. , WELLINGTON, Dec 22. Enquiries made during the past few days reveal the fact that a very unsettled condition in regard to labour exists in tho Dominion at present, and sorious trouble and strikes are quite within tlio hounds of possibility. Employers here differ as tho amount of labour available, some employers saying that they can get as much labour ns they nee.d, and others that they are still short-handed._ One thing is apparent, namely, that some of the skilled workers j are suffering at the expense of the unskilled. High wages are so easily obtained on the waterfront that they can afford to work only four or five days in tho week and spend the rest of their time at their ease. On all hands, however, employers are agreed on one point: that there is an , appalling lack of efficiency as compared ] with five or six years ago. There is

an extraordinary lack of apprentices, and | tlio result is that skilled tradesmen are ' becoming fewer and fewer as the years 'go by. Recently a AVellington man ; took his clocks to a well-known and old ! established firm to ho cleaned and regulated, and after paying a pretty stiff hill found that he had to regulate them l himself. Remonstrated with the head of j tho firm stated that he could not posI sibly cope with the work that came ! pouring in, because he could not get j efficient workmen. He had tried all ! over New Zealand to got an efficient ■ workman, and had failed. 1 The majority of the unions concerned state that they will not accept the Arbitration Court bonus award. It remains to he scon whether they are bluffing or whether they will put their threat to the test.