“SLAVE CAMPS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 2

“SLAVE CAMPS”

AND SHORTAGE OF SKILLED TRADESMEN. MR SEMPLE CRITICISES MR HAMILTON. (By Telegrapn—Press Association.) HAMILTON. February 28. i’The very Government with which Mr Hamilton was associated destroyed the Apprentices Act, reduced the number of apprentices from 10,000 to 3000, thus driving young men into slave camps for 10s a week,” said the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, in Hamilton, in commenting on the statement of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton, in Christchurch. “By doing this they created a gap that we are compelled to bridge by bringing artisans from other countries," said Mr Semple. “I think he is talking through the top of his head. His Government was responsible for robbing New Zealand of a generation of artisans.” The campaign of the National Party during the election was sensational and stupid, and was-conducted on wild and reckless statements, with the hope that they would stampede the people, said Mr Semple. Evidently the result of the election has not taught Mr Hamilton anything, as he was continuing in the same strain. The Minister added that the previous Government utilised the unemployment funds to subsidise wealthy concerns instead of subsidising employers for training young men in trades. The rich concerns benefited by subsidised labour and the young men worked in slave camps. “It was the most pathetic experience of my life when I met 2000 young New Zealanders in the slave camp,” added Mr Semple. “These young men were receiving from 10s to 15s a week and were down and out. Had they been properly trained they would have been a wonderful asset today and the present problem would not exist. Mr Hamilton now has the callous presumption to attempt to blame the Government for a position which was deliberate created by his own Government.” Stating that it was true that there was still a number of young men on public works, Mr Semple said that they were not skilled tradesmen. In fact the Public Works Department Was very short of skilled men, and as many as possible were now being trained with great success. “I said at the time the previous Government destroyed The Apprentices Act that they would be creating a nation of navvies instead of skilled artisans,” concluded Mr Semple, “and we ate now struggling to bridge the gap.”