“Brilliant Results” By Maori Trade Trainees

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32360, 28 July 1970, Page 8

“Brilliant Results” By Maori Trade Trainees

(N.Z. Frees Association) WELLINGTON. July 26. At a time when much adverse comment was being made about some Maori youtha, particularly in AucHand, the great achievements of other young Maori people tended to go unnoticed, said the Minlater of Maori Affairs (Mr Maclntyre), on Saturday. “It is, therefore, with great satisfaction that I announce the brilliant results which were obtained by Maori trade trainees and apprentices in last year’s trade examinations,” he said. Maori trade trainees came first in New Zealand in the 1969 first qualifying examinations in carpentry and in

sheetmetal work, and first equal in panel-beating. In the 10 trades of the trade-training scheme, the drop-out rate for Maoris was only 6 per cent compared with the New Zealand average of about 25 per cent. The percentage pass-rate of Maori trainees in the 10 {trades was also better than <the national average in the {same trades. Classes got 100 I per cent passes in the firstqualifying examinations in {motor mechanics at Auckland; in first-qualifying plastering at Petone; and in the ' second-qualifying carpentry examinations at Petone, Mr Maclntyre said. Class passes of 90 to 96 per cent were got in first-qualify ing examinations in carpen. try at Petone; in motor mechanics, painting and bricklay ing at Christchurch; and in electrical wiring at Auckland Even the lowest class-mark of 60 per cent in paper B of ! the sheetmetal examination was still much higher than the national pass rate of 46 per cent.