MATRICULATION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 102, 24 January 1930, Page 13

MATRICULATION

Sir, —The matriculation is n great hardship on the person who has spent: his youth on a farm, or who had to leave school early to help support a family, for this examination is now used b.v those in skilled trades to block anyone from entering their trade. The majority of skilled trades now deny the right of anyone, save the matriculated —5 per cent, of the population—sitting for their examinations, the necessity for this restriction being obviously the fact that persons who have not matriculated would Qualify, and thes® trade® lik.! to keep

others out. To-day those already in the skilled occupations—such as chemists, opticians, dentists, ai-countants, etc.—are using the matriculation examination ns a barrier to keep from 95 per cent, of the,population the right to sit for examination, and they depend upon the statute our politicians have, passed to give them this power. This law should be repealed and the right granted to everyone to sit for examination in skilledcrafts, irrespective of whether they have matriculated. Open the doors to all the skilled occupations wide, give everyone encouragement to enter skilled occupations, and the country will develop a prosperous population, but allow things to drift as they are now drifting and our academic folly will land us in the position China occupies to-day.—l am. etc., HAROLD SCHMIDT. Auckland, January 21.