APPRENTICESHIP ACT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20333, 4 September 1931, Page 6

APPRENTICESHIP ACT.

AN APPEAL DISMISSED. (TBESS ASSOCIATION TZLIGRAIC.) WELLINGTON, September 3. The Arbitration Court to-day heard an appeal by the Electrical Trade Workers' Union against a decision of the Wellington Electrical Trades' Apr pronticesbip Committee allowing the City Council to take on four additional apprentices. Tha ground of tho objection was that tho Gaining was not actuquato. i . It was urged that if tho apprentices were taken 011, the Council should provide further facilities for enabling thom to b'econto fully qualified journeymen. It was felt by the"'union that a number of failures showed that there must be something Wrong with the training. ' Tho reply was that tho training was above the average given by employers in New Zealand, "and tho average of passes was 25 per cent, .higher than tho average of the Dooiinion. ( , During tha discussion it was stated that the percentage of passes in pracr tical work in tho Dominion was nigh, but many, failed on the theory side', and employers should not be blamed for theory failures. Parents must take their share of tho blame. Attendance at picture shows and other entertainments, it was stated, possibly had to do with-it. His Honour said that tho onus of proof that the committee's decision was wrong rested on the appellant. There bad been no proof that tho- apprentices; *of tlie" C<ity Coiincil electrical department were not given similar training to that given by outside employers. Although tho percentage of passes was low,, tho Council lrad a higher percentage than the Dominion average. The low percentage might be due to a number of' causes. The appeal, was dismissed.