MOTOR MECHANICS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 146, 18 December 1933, Page 11

MOTOR MECHANICS

EXAMINATION QUESTION

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT

No recommendation was made by the Labour Bills Committee of the House of Representatives in the report presented today on the petition of A. Black (representing tho Amalgamated Engineers and Allied Trades Industrial Union of Workers, AVellington), praying for inquiry into the holding of examinations for motor mechanics by the New Zealand Garage Proprietors' Association. Jlr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour,' Christchurch East) said that very lengthy evidence had been heard by the Committee. The representative of the engineers' union' had given very good reasons why he thought that the present state of affairs should not be permitted. Although it seemed that those responsible for the conduct of tho examinations were^ acting in their legal rights, what was'being done appeared to be foreign to the recognised conduct in such cases. Jlr. P. Fraser (Labour, AVellington Central): Are they not taking money under false pretences? Mr. Armstrong said that the trade claimed that tho men were getting the advantage of 2d per hour, but that was disputed by the representatives of tlie union who brought evidence to show that the 2d per hour additional was paid prior to the obtaining of the certificates. To all intents and ,purposes it was compulsory for the mechanics to submit to the examination and pay £2 2s. Some of the employers denied that it was compulsory. One of the representatives said that though it was not compulsory he gave his mechanics to understand that they would bo at a great disadvantage if they did not comply with the conditions laid down. AVithout raising the question as to the desirability of the certificates, he did n»t think that the employers of motor mechanics should be the only people concerned with the setting up of the examination board. The employees should have some say, and the Government should insist .on the examining board being appointed by the Government. He hoped.that the Labour Department or the Industries and Commerce Department would give serious consideration to the matter. DISAPPOINTING REPORT. Jlr. R. JfcKeou .(Labour, AVellington South) said he was disappointed with the report of the Committee. The least the Committee could havo done was to recommend that the Government should carry out the inspection of the employers. The men did not object to being examined, but they did object to the examination being carried out by tho employers. The employers promised to give those who passed the examination an extra 2d an hour, but in many cases that promise was not given effect to. Jlr. A. Harris (Government, Waitemata) said the idea behind the scheme of the employers was undoubtedly a good one, although it might be possible to improve the details of its working. Jlr. Fraser said the men had not the slightest objection to being examined but they had a strong objection to the examination being carried out by a body with responsibility to nobody. If it could be shown that it was necessary in the interests of tlie trade that the men should pass an examination then the matter should be placed on a national basis. There were many men who had passed the examination but had not received the extra 2d jiromised by the- employers. ■ The men-had to pay. -£2 •:, 2s. -for sitting for the examination.' How many; of the fifty firms in Wellington had insisted on .the; examination? • ■ Jlr. S. G. Smith (Government, New Plymouth): About half. ■ , " Mr. Fraser: I would suggest about seven. - Jlr. AY. Nash (Labour, Hutt) said there was no doubt that the unwritten agreemont' between employers and employees had not been carried but. The fee of £2 2s charged to the men went to the Garage Proprietors' Association, and there was no way of enforcing the payment of the extra 2d an hour, which was to be the reward for passing the examination. DESIRABLE SCHEME. Replying to the debate, Mr. Smith, the Chairman of the Committee, said the desirability for the scheme had been made obvious by the complaints which had been received from- motor-car owners all over the Dominion. It was true that there was no- award, but he suggested there were other ways of enforcing the -payment,, of ./the extra 2d an hour. The Committee realised that the scheme waa not perfect,- but it was felt that the necessary adjustments could be made. One report was tabled. . ' '