"IN MELTING POT"

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1924, Page 6

"IN MELTING POT"

THE APPRENTICESHIP. . : QUESTION

'.AN INFORMAL CONFERENCE

'aiBBITRATTON COURT AND TRADE ..;■■ : REPRESENTATIVES.

■ •'-/• Various aspects of the Apprentices Act ■['ipj last session were discussed in an Informal manner by representatives of and employees at the Arbitration Court, to-day^ As a basis , for >'4he discussion the Court had issued a ;.j skeleton draft of the order which it is '■-•proposed to make governing the condi:'tions. of -apprenticeship in the various ■ 'industries. In a memorandum attached ( -;to the draft, his Honour ' Mr'." Justice ; *Erazer stated' that after hearing the •jViews of the parties, the Court would ■ ossue'a standard form of order, which ...would be the basis for the general orj'clers to be-made under the Act. The .■-general orders would naturally vary to • some extent from the standard form, -"But the Court thought that it would be "61 assistance, to masters and apprentices, ;.ttnd to those entrusted with the administration of the Act, if some standard ;->vas taken as a basis. M.'.Mr." Justice Frazer presided, and as'Soeiated with him were Mr. .W. Scott (employers' assessor) and Mr. H. Hun--ter (employees' assessor). '.','. Mr., T. 0. Bishop appeared for the -'^irijployers, and the, unions were mainly represented by Mr. F. Cornwall (of Wel■■•■luigton), Mr. F. B, Cooke (of Chris'ti/cfOirch), , and Mr. E. C. Sutclille (of Christehurch). ■;'.;His Honour said that it was not inj tended that anything done at the sitting would have any binding validity, jbpt they wanted to discuss quite inforijially ,the form of' order that was to .be made. On hearing the views of the .parties, the Court proposed' to redraft Jhe order,, which would then be used as ;ajguide.. ' The success of the Act defended very largely on the district com-' .'ifl.'jttees, which would be better acquainted^ with local conditions than the Court. .■The Court would like representatives of ■each.trade to give'assistance in framing Cttfte various orders:" The whole question piZ apprentices was in the melting-pot, j .■'JrhNew Zealand there was a shortage of apprentices, and there had been com■plaints that after serving their time the .boys were not as . competent .as might be. desired. The system, of apprenticeships was in danger. In America it had gone by the board almost altogether, fiut iri New Zealand it was generally ■ thought that it was desirable that boys should-be taught the various trades. ■... On, behalf of the Canterbury Trades . and Labour Council, Mr. F. R. Cooke made an application that the Act should • lie. made applicable to female workers ih/.the clothing trade. Eighty per cent. .6T..'tho. workers" in that trade'were fe-males,-and 50 per cent, of that numberwere apprentices. . If/His Honour said that that matter ;cb_uld be argued when the clothing trade award came before the Court. "."Mr. Cook said that it was a reflection on the Legislature that it had made no provision for female workers. Their inclusion or otherwise in the provisions of the Apprentices Act should have ftejjn left to the good sense of the Court. •£••■ QUESTION OF COMMITTEES. '"' Mr. Justice Frazer suggested that each clause of. the suggested draft should- .be considered separately, and this'was agreed to. " . In regard to the first clause relating to the locality in which the order should ha.wv-effeok r -Mr.-Bishop said that t!ie opinion of the employers was that in every case wherr possible the order should- be given a Dominion application. > His Honour:.' "It's not suggested that there shonld" be one committee for New Zealand?" * Mr. Bishop: "Oh, no. That's- the last Jhing. -we wantl" .-_~.. .. .'.' .' : Mr. ■ Cornwall- said that he had been instructed to suggest to the Court that before the Court fixed hours, wages, or anything of that nature, the committees should meet and make their report to the Court. " His Honour said that it was not intended tojnako any definite orders at , present.- lhe Apprentices Act was new, «nd the Court did not want to rush matters. " "" ," A suggestion was .made By Mr. E. C. ; SntcHffe,- of-Christchurch, that a main Committee shonld be set up to deal with the apprentices', question as from a Dojnimon point of view, the local committees- to act as sub-committees. They wanted the conditions governing appre'ntices'tb'be the same from Auckland to InvercargilL_ I j His Honour 'said that'-provision was not made in-the Act for a Dominion Committee, although the setting up of such a body^would be -of ■ advantage Ihey might hold a conference of representatives of the various district committees. i Mr. Bishop said that the employers Agreed with Mr._.Sutcliffe that there should be some'central-controlling body but they thought that'the controlling body should...be the.< Arbitration Court Be sagges'tedrtb.ajt;.tlie Court should decide whafcjgp-_wers?it, was proposed to give thes*.y»mmitfiesV>. ai\d to increase • those p6jveis:Xf .it-w"as seen that the comAittees'were1 proving -a/success. He did not mean to/.suggest that the committees might ;-not prove-a-success, but he tbonghf,.they. should-learn to walk belpre they -'learnt "to; ruh; -• • I "T]gIB.;'6WN::SALVATION." 'In reply^bMrrefipk, his Honour said that he took i6-that the Act had been passed_ in order *hat the people interested in the various trades might work Cut their own" salvation. ; Referring to- the provision of the Act relating to the power given the Court to order a boy to attend a Technical bchool, Mr. 'Justice Frazer said that if the Court • delegated its powers to the committees the committees would have the power to make such an order ,:Mr. Sutcliffe: "Mr. Justice Sim decided m Auckland that an employer could no more order a boy to attend ai Technical College than ho could order him to go to Sunday School." ;^ r:,.J.nstice *>azer: ""Well, the Act itself makes provision for such an order, and if an apprentice fails to obey he pliable to-be'subjected to S ome penalty for a breach of the Act.!' T,^ 1"- G iJF Cha Pman (on behalf of the Priiting Trades) said that it was not desirable that any penalties should be imposed. Apprentices were difficult enpngh to secure as it -was, and no further, obstacles should be placed in their way. ••■".. His Honour: "I-don't think that any penalties imposed will be very severe. It will- be just; as well for apprentices to understand that -the: committees ■ have some power." ■-•• " BLAZING A TRAIL. When the- question of wages was under discussion', Mr. Sotcliffe said that an apprentice should be made to qualify before he passes from one period of employment to another. He should- notreceiye increases in wag6s just as a matter of course. This was a matter in which thg .Arbitration Conii could

blaze the trail as far as apprentices were concerned. Mr. Justice Frazer said that it could be ordered that an apprentice should submit himself to an examination, which the Court, or the committee,, might proscribe. ■ There was also a general provision that an apprentice might have an mcrease in wage 3 withheld from him. That was a matter that was in the hands of the committees. Mr. Sutcliffe said that he appreciated that it was a matter for the committee, but he thought they would find that the Court would get it in the end. Mr. Cornwell expressed the opinion that the committees deal witU such a.case. Mr Scott "It is for. the committees to flaze the trail, not tho Court. The Court dealt with various other clauses in the proposed draft. ' (Proceeding.)