DISTRICT QUOTAS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1927, Page 4

DISTRICT QUOTAS

(To tha Editor.) r fi lv<~* have been very interested in toiiowmg up the correspondence on-the apprentice question, chiefly because two ot your correspondents are plumbers and JL am a plumber myself. Your correspondent of forty years' experience does not apparently desire much improvement, but would prefer to remain under the old style of things. As an apprentice thirtyone years ago, I have no desire to see tnosedays return, nor do I intend saying anything further on this matter. Is it not a tact that because of this inferior worJr, and this necessity for the protection of the public in health and other ™! jrs> ,the 4"esti°n of education was introduced,, so that the apprentice could qualify and become a more efficient tradesman .' Hence the necessity for supervision to see that this was carried out. 1 know it must be galling for an old plumber to fall into line with present-day requirements. •

I. agree with him that the boy should decide, and 1 think, Mr. Editor, you have ma » T clear in y°ur "Topics of the IJay. - Xhe statement made by the Minister, the Hon. G. J. Anderson, also makes it clear that there is nothing to prevent this from taking place, and that it s not the Act' that is at fault. From what I know of the Act I consider it is one of the finest .pieces of legislation I have looked through for some time. It provides every facility to assist both the master as'well as apprentice to produce the best results, and I do not think anyone could take exception to the correct interpretation of the Act. In the plumbing trade I know that much is being done to encourage the boys in the-Technical. College, in providing both theory, ani practical classes. Certainly it is compulsory. If it were not so, I do not know what would.be'the result. Most of our educational system is of a compulsory character, and while I do not like the idea of it myself, yet I- maintain it is necessary* The most important item, to my mind, in the compulsory education is^ to make it as attractive as well as instructive as possible, making it more of an inducement instead of a drudgery. I contend in. this direction there is room for improvement in,the plumbing classes. Master plumbers : to-day recognise the value of good plumbers, and are willing to pay. much above the award rate of wages for a reliable tradesman. Your advertisements of late are proof of that statement. ■ . . ... WhileHhe master plumbers are concerned as to the training of their apprentices and are doing much to encourage the boys, the bone of contention appears to be the scarcity of apprentices—not that there are no boys offering for the trade; but simply the exployers are not permitted to take on another apprentice if the .quota in the industrial district is full up. There is' good cause for grievance in this matter. Permit me to quote what the apprenticeship order requires:—"The proportion of the total number of apprentices to the total number of journeymen employed in the industry in the district, shall be not more than one to three. The proportion °l apprentices to any employer, or firm, shall be as follows: Each firm or employer shall be entitled to one apprentice, after that the number employed shall not exceed one apprentice to each two journeymen or fraction of two." That is to say, that if one 'or other of the boroughs in the industriaPdistrict should have a rush of work necessitating the employing of extra plumbers, for every two plumbers started they are allowed an apprentice according to the above quotation, supposing, the' rush of woi'K stopped just' as quickly as it started, and the extra plumbers employed are dismissed, they in turn go off to some other industrial area, the_ apprentices started during that rush period must remain to complete their trade, The quota then for that particular borough is in excess of its allowance, consequently another borough, or city, as the case may be, in that industrial district cannot employ another apprentice until the quota of journeymen has again been made complete, which, to my mind, is entirely wrong. The correct procedure without interfering with the present apprenticeship order would be that every borough or city in that industrial district should be separate in the matter of deciding.;*the number of apprentices iii the locality. ; To .have it ruh as "atpresent is not .only .iinreas'pnabJe. .but' absurd, and until some/amendment is made : this niatte'r -will remain a bone of contention. I am. not ignorant of: the fact' that the apprenticeship order was the outcome of a decision arrived at by ; both employer and employee, but I venture :to say that, from what'T know, both; employer and employee see the anomaly that exists. It.is to be hotted that in the near future something will.be done to- have this unfortunate, circumstance removed, and this, to my mind, ..will bring about better working conditions between masters and apprdnticea.—l am, etc.,

REGISTERED PLUMBER.