SERIOUS POSITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1938, Page 8

SERIOUS POSITION

SHORTAGE OF ELECTRICAL WIREMEN EFFECT ON THE WAIRARAPA ’ BOARD. INSTALLATIONS MUCH DELAYED. (“Times-Age” Special.) The Wairarapa Electric Power Board at its meeting this morning took a very serious view of the difficulty experienced in obtaining the services of electrical wiremen. The ' Secretary-Manager, Mr G. Brown, said the position in the installation department was most unsatisfactory. “We are understaffed,” added Mr Brown, “and are unable to get additional wiremen to carry out the work offering. At the present time we have in hand with the staff available, three months’ work in the Carterton district, three months’ work in the Featherston district and ten weeks’ work in the Masterton district. This. is causing dissatisfaction and resulting in loss of revenue. The position demands immediate consideration.” “The position is very serious,” continued Mr Brown. “If a man comes in and buys an electric range we cannot instal it for him for three months.” Mr C. R. Holmes: “We might as well shut up shop.” When it was stated that private electrical firms could not, owing to pressure of work, assist the board in its difficulty, Mr S. Dalgliesh said: “There has been some victimisation going on here. We have driven out private men. Why is ‘it that we have so few private contractors as compared with other districts? We have been trying to grab too much.” ■The chairman. Mr A. C. Pearce: “All the boards are in the same position.” .Mr F. C. Daniell: “There are insufficient tradesmen in the Dominion to cope with the work offering.” Mr W. A. Tate: “Apprentices are the difficulty. If more youths could be trained the problem would be solved. The unions have brought this trouble on themselves.” After some further discussion it was decided to forward a remit on the subject to the Power Boards' Conference.