FURNITURE TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1921, Page 4

FURNITURE TRADE

CHINESE COMPETITION. AUCKLAND, March 11. There are now two Chinese furnitur c factories in Auckland, and although the workers are comparatively few in number, they are managing to turn out fairly large quantities of goods. One of the places of business has been running for about a year. The other establishment is more recent, having been opened about the beginning of this year. General cabinet-making is carried out, but in neither place is there any modern machinery. The Chinese. . it is stated adopt their own methods, using Eastern benches and Eastern tools. As is not infrequent in the case of Chinese businesses in this country, the cabinet makers are excluded from the operations of thc trade award. The moi'e recently established factory, for instance, is run as company, the hands being co-partners, so that boms of labour, wages and such like are their own concern. Both places of course are subject to (be provisions of the Factory Vct so far as the conditions of the f- ev . tor.v are concerned. The Chines question was considered recently at a joint meeting of representatives of employers and employees in the trade. One remedy suggested was that the education test for Asiatics should be based on the requirements of the Sixth Standard certificate of the public schools. This, it was felt, would [\ react on the typo of Chinese coming into New Zealand with a result that their standard of living would be alI tered. At present the question of future restrictions has been left in the ' hands of the Cabinet hut the matter will t> c . raised by the Labour members of Parliament during the.present ses- • sion.