TRAINING YOUTHS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 145, 20 June 1924, Page 6

TRAINING YOUTHS

APPRENTICES' ACT

ADDRESS BY SECRETARY OF LABOUR,

The secretary of the Department • of Labour, Mr v F., J. Bowley, at the City. Council Chamber last evening delivered an interesting address on the Apprentices Act' passed last session. ' There was a good attendance of employers and ap- ■ prentices. Mr. M. F. Liickie presided. The present shortage of journeymen and apprentices in the skilled trades was, said Mr. Rowley, chiefly" due to machinery and specialisation. The new AcU provided "that the head teacher of each school ■ shall, when requested by the Labour Department, forward a brief report on each boy who is leaving school, in order that the Department might ascertain the occupations to which the' boys go or were sent. The boys were also invited to seek the advice -and ac- ■ sistance of the Department in securing suitable employment. He expressed the opinion that parents were frequently responsible for placing their boys in blindalley jobs merely because of the higher wages offering. The Act provided ma- ■ chinery for insuring that apprentices were properly taught' and diligently ■ learned their work. For this purpose ap| prenticeship committees were providedfor. The information gathered by theDepartment showed that many "hundreds of., apprentices were required in various trades. The speaker urgcd\employers to assist in the setting up of a committee in order that the pride of craftsmanship might'be revived and provision made for the industrial life of the' future. . ;

The chairman, said that as a member' oflthe Technical School Board, he was pleased to see this effort by the Government to increase the number of skilled workers in the country. ' ■" •

In moving a Vole "of thanks to Mr. Rowley, Mr. W..A. Grenfell said he was sure the new.Act would be given a fair trial.

The vote of thanks was .carried by ac> clamation.