Evening Post. FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1923. SKILL AND VOCATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 53, 31 August 1923, Page 6

Evening Post. FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1923. SKILL AND VOCATIONS

If considered upon the broad grounds of legislative practice, the way in which the House of Representatives passed the Apprentices Bill is open to condemnation, even severe condemnation. The measure was not even discussed. It may be said that this was because members had read the measure and the report bearing upon it, and were satisfied that the Bill could not be improved. But the House does not allow Bills to pass unnoticed for such reasons. The explanation is probably that some members were not ■ aware what the Bill contained, some were not aware that it was being submitted, and others were quite content to sit silent, either to get the Bill through or to assist the easy passage of any legislation. But while we cannot excuse such methods of legislating, we are quite prepared to admit that in this instance the good result may atone for the wrong practice. "We say this because the Bill was based upon the unanimous report of a Committee representing employers, workers, the Labour: Department, and the 1 Education ' Department. This Committee was at pains to make a thorough examination of the problem from all points of view, and it presented a report which focused most ' clearly the and the result to be aimed at. This report went much farther than the Act. Indeed, the Committee made perfectly plain what we have previously contended.: "that legislation is,not sufficient for a complete solution of the ap-: prenticeship and skilled labour problem. ■ „

The Committee's first task was to consider whether changed conditions warranted abolition of the apprenticeship system. It decided that they did not,*.but'that remodelling was necessary. In this remodelling, however, the Committee wisely kept in view the undeniable fact that, as industrial conditions have changed in tire past, so they will be.subject to change in the future. This is met by providing, not -a complete new apprenticeship system, but the framework of such a system, sufficiently open to permit of all modifications necessary in the immediate future. The duty of completing the structure and altering it from time to time to suit changing conditions is 'placed upon the Court of Arbitration, which may delegate most of its powers to apprenticeship committees, set up for various trades in various localities. The only weakness which we. see in this method is the failure to provide for some measure of'uniformity in the work of the committees. That weakness may not develop in practjc?i and there is a partial aafagufti'd in the right of appeal to

the Court-against committee decisions. The power given to. the Court is great, and its responsibility will be correspondingly heavy. It rhay eyeri order employers to accept and train apprentices. This specific power is . not to be conferred upon the committees, nor can the committees be authorised to make general orders governing apprenticeship terms, hours, and wages. In other,, respects the 'committees may be clothed with powers equal to those of the Court, except that there is the right to appeal to the Court against the committees. But wide as the committee powers smay become* there is little danger of their being exercised unwisely, because the committees are to be constituted with equal representation of employers and workers. There may be other representatives (perhaps from technical schools), but generally workers and employers will require to be in accord before fcheycan exercise their authority. This is one point which we had in mind in saying that legislation would not suffice for a solution of the problem. The Act as passed is a good foundation; but it remains for the Court, the employers, and the workers to build upon that foundation. If either workers or employers insist upon building to a selfish plan, the structure will not stand. Cordial co-opera-tion from the educational authorities and the Labour Department is also necessary. The establishment of employment exchanges is recommended,' and the Labour Department is asked to furnish information concerning trade openings and opportunities. If this work is undertaken with enthusiasm, the results should be most gratifying. The efficiency with which this duty is carried out will partly determine the extent to which the drift of boys into unskilled occupations is checked." Of importance also in checking this drift will be the work of the educational authorities in remodelling the primary and secondary systems of instruction. It is certainly a fault at present that education beyond the primary school has a bias towards commercial and professional occupations. We hope that the junior high schools will prove a. means of correcting this defect. Upon the recommendations of the Committee regarding the .Matriculation Examination, we have some doubt. Trouble has arisen not so much from the character of the examination, but from the fact that too many schools have accepted that examination as a standard to be worked to by all pupils. But this and other aspects of the training and education problem may well receive further consideration when the new scheme has been brought into operation. Whatever may" be done, we hope that none concerned— either" employers or workers or educational authorities—will now consider that the problem is settled' and that there is no need for further effort.