THE APPRENTICE ACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 45, 23 February 1926, Page 7

THE APPRENTICE ACT.

DOES NOT FILL THE BILL. Mr. Albert Spencer, president of the Auckland Employers' Association, was seen this morning by a representative of the Auckland "Star" regarding the shortage of employment for children leaving school. He said: "The high hopes that weTe raised when the Apprentice Act was broujht into force two years ago are not going to be satisfied. The Government in trying to placate the employers and the trade unions has fallen between two stools, and the result is something very like chaos in the secondary industries. At the present time there is an acute shortage of apprentices for some of the secondary industries. Employers are willing and anxious to extend their operations, but are prevented because they cannot take on enough apprentices. "The Act has now had a good test and been found wanting. The time has nowarrived when it should be amended to enable a sufficient number of apprentices to be put on in the different industries. "The Apprentices Act during the past two years has produceel very poor results/ It was hoped that one result of that measure would be to overcome the shortage of apprentices, but the position now is worse than ever. There are hundreds of boys waiting an opportunity to enter different trades but are prevented from doing so because this Act sets aside a proportion of apprentices for each individual employer, and then a proportion over the whole district. The trouble is that the district proportion is now full, and that prevents employers from taking on more apj prentices. Employers who are extending their businesses have positions to offer to boys, but are prevented by the Act 'from taking them on. Sensible parents land guardians, who realise that a good trade is a wonderful asset for after lite. j now find they cannot get places for their sons. At the present time there is too mue-h Government interference. Employers resent this very much, and the apprentice committee, which is comprised o. employers and union representatives who are doing their best under adverse conditions, will never achieve good results with the Act in its present form, so the sooner it is altered the sooner our secondary industries will expand and full employment will be offering for all our lads, thus relieving the over-crowding of the black-coated professions."