FARM TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 38, 13 August 1920, Page 4

FARM TRAINING

BOYS FROM ENGLAND

APPRENTICESHIP BILL.

The first part of the Master and Apprentice Amendment Bill, introduced in the House of Representatives by the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Nosworthy), "relates to farm apprentices whose passages from England to New Zealand are assisted by the Government. The Master and. Apprentice Act, 1908, requires that trie indenture of apprenticeship should be executed by the parent or guardian of the boy and the employer. This is impossible in cases where arrangement is made for the immigration oS boys to be employed subsequently, and, the boys being under age, their own contract does not bind them. ''The Government undertakes the control and care of such boys,!' states an explantory memorandum attached to the Bill, "and therefore enters into a more or less definite arrangement with tho parents, guardians,, and relatives of such boys in the Unitid Kingdom, for due provision being, made in New Zealand for the employment of the boy and for the provision 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 tttyt the boys should be under some. control from the time of their departure until their engagement in Now Zealand. For these objects provision is made for an indenture signed by the High Commissioner and the boy, becoming binding in England, and afterwards until cancelled! with the consent of the Minister of Immigration,- or until tho apprentice attains the age of twenty years. "Special provision is made enabling the Minister to alter the indenture signed in England to the advantage of the boy, but not otherwise. Provision is necessary to extend the apprenticeship to the ago of twenty, as. it is not intended to engage boys of less than sixteen years of age, and it is desired to engage them up to an age of somewhat over eighteen years but under nineteen. After the first year the apprentice is to r.aceive full wages, according to the rates paid for lads of similar age^ and ca.pacity in. the district.

"Provision is made in Part (2) of tha Bill for similar apprenficeship of lads already in New Zealand."