“CHEAP LABOUR”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 15, 12 October 1927, Page 10

“CHEAP LABOUR”

QUESTION OF APPRENTICES Dominion Special Service. Auckland, October 10. “Ninety-nine per cent, of employers take an apprentice on with no idea of teaching him a trade at all. It is only with the idea of employing cheap labour.” This charge was levelled by Mr. J. Clarke (secretary of the Plumbers’ Union), against the general body of employers at a meeting of. trade union delegates on apprenticeship committees for the purpose of discussing proposed amendments to the Apprenticeship Act, which are to be considered by the Labour Bills Committee on Thursday next. ’ , Mr. Clarke moved a motion emphatically protesting against the Governments intention to amend the Apprenticeship Act on the following grounds:—(l) “That a district proportion of apprentices to any industry is an equitable method of obtaining the desired number of apprentices required for any industry; (2) that the abolition of the. district proportion of apprentices is a breach of the agreement arrived at by the conference of employers and employees interested in apprentices in May and August, 1923; (3) that as in over 90 per cent, of apprenticeship orders the proportion of apprentices to. any individual employer is greatly in excess of the district proportion of apprentices allowed it is estimated that by abolishing the district proportion of apprentices the number will be increased by at least 75 per cent.; (4) that at the present time hundreds of tradesmen are unemployed, and the repealing of. the district proportion of apprentices in the Act will increase the difficulty and in a great number of industries cause more unemployment.” The motion was carried unanimously.