BARRING THE WAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 43, 20 February 1926, Page 10

BARRING THE WAY.

TO TRADES EMPLOYMENT. - THE APPEENTCES ACT. - ' < MANY LADS OUT OF WORK. That the Apprentices : Act, in its present state, is detrimental to youths seeking employment in trades, and that, until it is altered, there will continue to be a large number' of young people shut out of .work, was the opinion expressed this morning by Mr. S. E. Wright, secretary of the Auckland Employers , Association, when a "Star" representative approached him to ask the reason why a great proportion of boys who had left school at the end of last year, were unable to 'obtain work in the various' trades they had chosen. •A' Detrimental Act. .1 "In several, of the favourite indus- I tries, such as the engineering and elec- I trical, the district proportion is full, ; although spme employers have not been I able to get their full number of appren- j tices," said Mr. Wright. "Undoubtedly the Apprentices Act is acting detrimentally in the matter of enabling boys to learn trades. It sets aside a proper- ; tion of* apprentices 'ifor each individual , employer and tnen a proportion over the | whole district, and it is the district pro- j portion that is full. Individual em- ! ployers have room for lads, but are not allowed to employ them on account of , the district having its total quota. This is forcing boys' to take up 'dead end' , occupations.". "••'..' Should Be Altered. - Mr. Wright has frequently attacked the Act in the Arbitration Court, pointing out its evil, and asking that-it be altered in the interests of boys who. wish to start out in trades.' His contentions have received the whole-hearted support of employers. There are some large firms which could employ a far greater number of lads'than'they are permitted to do, and train them well,. but the larger establishments .are limited on the •] same basis as the smaller ones, where training of a high grade is not alwayfe ■ forthcoming. Employers realise that I the Act is nothing more than a barrier i between young men and the trades in ! which they want to make a success. ' Further, employers resent too much ' Government interference. - j : -Few. Boys Placed In Work. !; An inquiry was made this morning ; ■at the Labour Department as to the ■ number of boys who had been placed mi employment in trades, in proportion to '[ those who had made application for • positions.. Figures were not available, : but it is/understood that, of the large: number /of boys who left school' at the \. end of last year with the idea of enter- !. : ing trades, the proportion placed in em- j' ployment was almost negligible. The-! •Act was to blame. .The labour was offering; the employment was at hand, < but ja.Government regulation barred the '' way, with the result that a number of boys to-day are working at unskilled jobs that will lead them nowhere. As an example of the difficulty experienced by boys seeking work after j leaving school, a local headmaster states that, usually, all the lads from his school employment readily after Christmas, , but this year, no less than eighteen mothers -have called on him to see whether he could assist in getting work for old scholars. j ■ 1 . i 1