APPRENTICESHIP LAW

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 274, 15 August 1932, Page 8

APPRENTICESHIP LAW

Conditions of Employment COMPLAINT TO MINISTER Claiming that a Christchurch magistrate had exceeded his power, a deputation from the Trades and Labour Councils’ Federation waited on the Minister of Labour, Hon. A. Hamilton, to protest against the reduction of plumbing apprentices’ wages by one-third without any employers being asked to state their case for a modification of the apprenticeship order. It was claimed that the Finance Act of this year did not give a magistrate power to interfere with the wages of apprentices. The Act contained power for the amendment of terms, and the magistrate could modify, suspend or exclude the operation of any provision of an apprenticeship order. The legislation aimed to give relief to employers who were paying apprentices for whom no work could be found, and who were in difficulties, and for the time being to give relief by suspending the payment of wages for a period to be decided upon by the magistrate “after having heard the application of the employer and also the case on behalf of the apprentice.” The deputation also complained to the Minister concerning firms which had an excess of apprentices who were being employed on general labouring work Instead of being taught their trade. It was stated these apprentices were excluding adult labour from workshops, and that the practice seemed to be in line with the/ demand for cheap boy labour. It was complained that the Labour Department had declined to supply a labour union with the number of apprentices employed by a number of Arms where it was claimed the system was being abused. Such information should not be withheld where the interests of adult labour were The “mister promised to consider the representations advanced.