APPRENTICES' PAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 150, 26 June 1937, Page 8

APPRENTICES' PAY.

After reading "Junior Apprentice's" lette, in Tuesday's "Star" I rather wondered if had ever stopped to think of the other aspect of the matter. His wages for the first year are 15/ per week. At least that is what the book accounts for. but his employers-' indebtedness does not end there. To bejriii with, he is not. like the clerk or shop hoy partially qualified, or needs practically bo qualifications, to bold his job—the apprentite has to be taught right from the word "so" If he is to be properly taught, this neeeserUtei a qualified man dropping his own productive work in order to explain or demonstrate eomt point or other —say, at odd times during the day at an average of an hour a day. At 2/6 per hour award wage, this means a "loss to tile employer of 12/ C per week at least. Ko apprentice, however keen and smart, can ever do everything properly the very first timetherefore there is bound to be a certain amount of material spoilt, which constitutes a fnrtier loss to the employer. Therefore if "Junior Apprentice" just stopped and thought over the matter he would see that although he was only paid 15/ per week he was costing iu employer at least anything from 25/ to 30/ per week. As he goes further ahead and is taught the more responsible work he needi more supervision, and maybe more erpenahe material is spoilt and consequents the lo«: is proportionately greater—even as are hit wages. Surely the boya do not want to be properly taught a trade, and also be paid a larpe wage for the privilege of affording an employer a loss while thev are learning: THE OTHER SIDE.