CHARGE AGAINST ARMY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 8

CHARGE AGAINST ARMY

Alleged Inducements To Apprentices MOTOR BODY BUILDERS COMPLAIN (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, March 10. New Zealand Army authorities were accused today of offering inducements to apprentices undergoing compulsory military training to join the Regular Arnjy and thereby break their contracts with employers. This allegation was contained in a letter received by the annual conference of the New Zealand Motor Body Builders’ Union from its Hawke’s Bay branch. Members decided that a letter should be sent to the Army authorities advising them of this allegation, arid saying that the legal obligations of the youths were being upset. Some boys returning to work after their compulsory training were very unsettled, said the letter from the Hawke’s Bay branch. A vice-president of the unidfe, Mr C. G. C. Wagg, of Masterton, said that apprentices returning from camp were taking a fair amount of time to settle down. “One of my apprentices was a sergeant, and every time he goes into camp they offer to make him a sergdhnt-major,” said Mr Wagg. “They’ll get him eventually.” The president (Mr R. N. Chatterton, of Wellington) said that an apprentice in his firm had returned from camp and walked into the office with a letter stating he had enlisted in the permanqpt force. “The Army didn’t bother to find out if he was bound by a contract,” he added. “However, he is settling down with us again.” Mr C. C. Carter, of Wellington, moved that a letter be sent to the Army authorities pointing out that boys were being enticed away from their

The secretary (Mr W. J. Mountjoy): I would not word tne letter like that. I don’t want to get into trouble. It was suggested that Mr Mount joy could invite the authorities at least to inquire beforehand whether a prospective recruit for the permanent force was already legally bound by an apprenticeship contract.