MR. MORRISON AND THE ENGINEERS.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1898, Page 5

MR. MORRISON AND THE ENGINEERS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib. — I have received a letter from Mr. Morrison which is entirely irrelevant to,the subject. He says, " The member for Caversham is always ready to undertake washing and cleaning." As the public are not interested in Mr. Morrison's business, no further reference need be made. One point which he makes clear is that he absolutely, as he says, refuses to face two editors. In ether words, be has to admit that your report was correct — the Evening Post reporters are ugually right — that he did say there were not 20 New Zealand-trained engineers who could hold their own in an English shop. The object I had in view is attained. I submit it is proved (1) that the statement of Mr. Morrison has been proved by the engineers throughout the colony to be gratuitously false ; (2) that the letters of other manufacturers have shown that they prefer their own trained boys for positions of trust to outsiders; (3) that the whole goes to show that the training of boys in New Zealand will compare favourably with any other place. The object of Mr. Morrison's remarks was to support a proposed Act called the Master and Apprentice Act. This Act has been opposed by the various Industrial Associations on the broad ground that no boy or girl should be debarred by Act of Parliament from learning a trade or getting a living at any honest calling. A careful perusal of the faotory returns will show that if such an Act passed something like 6000 boys and girls would be deprived of their present means of living — that is, allowing one young person to four over 20 years. In addition to these there are about 8500 boys and the same number of girls who leave school every year. Not one of those would be allowed to learn a trade or calling : the greatest portion of this will fall on females, who, it is proved, do not go into competition, but use it as a means of living for four or five years, and then mostly get married. It will also be seen that the reduction in number will be in the places where the best wages are paid. As an illustration, in one establishment the manager informed me that the average wages of women was from £1 to £2 8s per week. If this Act was to be carried into force he would have to dismiss 167 girls who have no other means of living. These young people have no one to speak for them, and the Industrial Associations (a great many of whose members have no personal interest) feel that in taking this stand they are acting in the interest of the whole community. I am, &c, Samuel Brown, President Industrial Corporation New Zealand. Wellington, 20th September, IS9B. P.S. — I have to thank the Eveitcng Post, and through- you the other papers, for the publicity they have given to this important matter. — S.B.