Technical Scholars Displace Tradesmen.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 32, 13 October 1911, Page 11

Technical Scholars Displace Tradesmen.

Carpenters of Auckland write to " The Worker."

Dear Comrade, —Men do not fight with boys, and manly men would rather fight for them; so please believe that this letter is not dictated by self-inter-est, but rather by an earnest desire for fairplay in the present to our budding tradesmen, and the ultimate good or those who will soon be working shoulder to shoulder with us. In the building of the Technical Schools in this city—a work in tribute to the memory of the late Hon. R. J. Seddon. by the way—a position has arisen m consequence of the obstinacy of the director, Mr. George George, which would be discreditable if it wore not ridiculous. The building, with special reference to the rooms to be devoted to engineering and carpentering instruction, having been completed according to specifications, were left by tradesmen em* ployed upon the job, with concrete floor and studs. Then were called ia 12 or 14 engineering students to proceed with the decking; so that it seems fair to predict that scholars from the electrical branch Avill soon be busy whitewashing. If it be contended that the teaching of a millwright's trade is essential to the technical training or an engineer, we haA r e no more to say. but offer the suggestion that a goo 4 principle should be carried further, a__4 that students, before handling timber, should go to the forest and fell it. to the mill and dress it, and fill ill their spare time with a short series oi lessons upon nail-making and the like, That is the ridiculous = view of ths position. . . |'^~ The discreditable one is that the work of boys should be availed of for reasons of economy Avhile their fees are being accepted for tuition: that unpaid, and AVorse than unpaid, boy labor should be permitted to discount market for tradesmen, and that parents should be sweated while their sons are also SAvoated at the will of an autocratic Government servant. Fortunately, at the time of writing, carpenters are so much in demand that this introduction of non-union labor cannot be charged with the infliction, ot any apparent hardship upon members of the trade, but to allow such a contemptuous disregard of tirade unioi rules and Arbitration Court aAvards to. pass without comment is simply to invite others to folloAv the lead or thei Director of Technical Education. May we state, in conclusion, that vro' are speaking for many bench and shopmates in declaring that such a dangerous precedent shall only be established after a very, bitter .struggle and should it come to that —AA'hich God forbid t—* a professedly Liberal, but admittedly, shortsighted Government, will find a liberal-minded, far-seeing and united body of tradesmen a proposition far more difficult to oppose than a hostile eroAvd, even though this be election year. —Tours fraternally and for jus-< tie©, ■ ' - \ Andrew Marshall •Somervell, Albert William Woolley, W. Dorrity, Archie' Williams, G. G. DaAvs, R. Patteiv son, J, Graham (carpenters on job)/