EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES.
[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—At this time, when the necessity for economy in the national public service is so urgent, I think that an impartial inquiry into the real value of Employment Exchanges should be instituted. On one hand we are told that neither the Trade Unions nor the employers care for them, and in your current issue we have on the other side a letter from an employer upholding them. How can we get at the truth? We can, of course, expect a strenuous defence by the Exchange officials, who will show the number of vacancies they have filled.
Speaking for myself, as responsible for considerable employ- ment of labour, skilled and unskilled, I have no use for the Exchanges, as I can get all, and more khan all, the labour 1 need among personal applicants. And it is better in this way, too—one can take the measure, so to speak, of an applicant, and answer accordingly, whereas if the Exchange sends a man in response to an application it is not so easy to turn him away if his appearance or record is not impressive.
I was asked by the manager of an Exchange why lie got no applications from myself, and I gave him the foregoing reasons, which he could not gainsay, but he suggested that, when I thus found a suitable candidate, I should send him to the Exchange be register the engagement : one way of swelling the list of vacancies filled! Another way was, during the war, to force everybody, even managers and draughtsmen, to apply to the nearest Labour Exchange.—I am, Sir, &c., Hollins House, Darwen. Aux. MscIvoa,
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