FARM APPRENTICES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 274, 13 August 1920, Page 8

FARM APPRENTICES

THE GOVERNMENT'S SCHEME

PROVISION FOR BOY IMMIGRANTS

The Master and Apprentice Amendment Bill, introduced by the .Minister, of Agriculture, deals with the indenturing of boys between the ages of fifteen and nineteen years to farm work. The first' part applies only, to farm.apprentices whose passages from Britain to New Zealand are assisted by the' Government., The "Master and Apprentice Act, 1908, ■ requires that the indenture of apprenticeship should be executed by .the parent or guardian of the boy and by the employer, Compliance with this provision is impossible where arrangements are made for the immigration of the boys to be subsequently employed. The boys being under age, their own contract does not bind them.

The Government proposes to undertake the care and control of such boys,'and enter onto a more or less definite arrangement with the parents, guardians, or relatives in the United Kingdom' for due provision, being made in New.-Zea-land for the employment of the.boy and for ; the supply of proper-food, clothing: and comfort. Unless the boy. is bound to remain in his employment, and be subject to such control by his employer ■as is provided in the Master and Apprentice Act, it is impossible for the Government to perform its engagements. Further, it is necessary that the boys' should be under some control from the time of their departure until their engagement in New Zealand. For; theso objects, provision is made for an inaenture, signed by.the High Commissioner and the boy, becoming bindng, in' England, and afterwards until the .boy reaches the age of twenty years, or until it is cancelled with the consent of the Minister. These facts'are detailed in a covering memorandum to the Bill, which' .was circulated yesterday. ■ .

The memorandum states further that special : provision'' is made enabling the Minister, to alter the indenture signed In Ungland in a. manner advantageous, to the boy but not pthcrwse/ The clause extending the apprenticeship to : twenty years is necessary because it is not intended to. engage, boys of an'age. less than sixteen, and it is desired to engage them up to the age of somewhat over eighteen years, but under inineteen. Mt is provided that after the first year the apprentice 8b all. receive full wages according to'his ,age arid capacity, the stand; ard being the wages ruling in the dis-* trict for lads .of a-like age and capacity. •Tho second part of the Bill relates to the farm apprenticeship of boys already resident, in New Zealand, and extends the benefit of PaTt I to such boys.

LOCAL BILLS jl , Three local Bills were put through several stages and' passed by the House ~ .of Representatives yesterday afternoon. The Lyttelton Harbour Board Loan Bill authorises the .board to borrow XSafI.OOO at 5J per cent, for harbour improvements, The Napier Harbour Boar,d Loan Amendment Bill increases from 5 per oent. to 5J per cent, the rate of interest that may he paid by the board for money required to complete harbour works. '.' A portion of the loan has been ' raised njt.the old rate, but a.hi'sher rate la required for the balance. The. Bill' • proposed that the new rate should be ' 6 per cent., but this rate was reduced ' to 5i per cent, in conformity with the .'policy of the' Government. .'The Ocean ...• Beach Domain Amendment Bill increases the.contributions that may bo paid by ■ local 'bodies for.'the protection of Ocean Beach, near Dunedin. THE BREWER AND THE: WHEAT ' SHORTAGE .The Hon. G. Jones yesterday withdrew i the following motion, which he had recently given notice in the Upper \ House: "That in view of the alarming ,'■ 'shortage of wheat and flour in this Dominion and elsewhere, '-he Government i Blmll prevent, the use of grain in the '. brewing of beer, and continue the inhibii tion while there is any prospect,of any 'deficiency' in , supplies of the materials cut of which bread may b'e made." Ifr. Jones said: From information I have received I' have come to the conclusion that no good purpose could be served by pursuing this matter any further at present. I am, however, ad- . vised that the proper authorities are at- ■ tending to the matter, and that if necessary they will do their utmost to mitigate any trouble which may arise . from tho shortage of wheat in this country.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS ■-■ ,; . Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburb) is asking th*e Minister of Railways: (1) Whether he is aware that at least 73 per cent., of the sleeping berths on tb« Auckland, express are booked by travellers at the central office in Willis Street, Wellington. (2) bo. "Till in consequence Rive instructions' that The plan, showing the sleeping borth accommodation bo deposited at the ceotral office in Willis Street instead of at the Thorndon railway station. The present method causes confusion and delay, says Mr, Wright, as passengers when applying for a berth at the central effice are compelled to await a telephone advice from the Thorndon railway station. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki).is asking the Minister of Agriculture whether the time has not arrived when the Department of Agriculture might, with great advantage to farmers and to the Dominion as a whole, commence the compilation of a comprehensive work on New Zev land fanning, the information hitherto published on the subject being in such a fragmentary and inaccessible form as to ba of comparatively Htfle value to the producers of the Dominion.. A pronriSo was-given the memoer for Otaki a long time ago that this Important matter would receive consideration. The Legislative Council yesterday ngreed to nn amendment introduced by Message into the Magistrate's Court Amendment.Bill when thai Hill was.he-fore'the.-.Cower House. The amendment provides for tho appointment of ft Magistrate ' /'to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction in the Chatham Islands." Originally it was provided that, a Magistrate might be appointed to exercise in the Chatham Islands merely "such criminal and, such civil jurisdiction as the Governor-General should direct."