TRAINING APPRENTICES

Evening Post, Issue 11, 13 July 1936, Page 8

TRAINING APPRENTICES

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Firstly I wish to thank Mr. Meadows (through the columns of your paper) for replying to my letter dated May 9. There is a statement contained in his reply which opens an avenue of discussion, namely, that referring to the right of entry to any premises conferred on the members of the committee to inquire after the welfare of the apprentices. I am at the present time completing my apprenticeship and during the years that I have been indentured I cannot recall at any period a visit from any one member' of the committee to ascertain whether the apprentices were receiving satisfactory training.- Such provisions contained in the Act are valueless if no responsible person enforces them. A large percentage of the apprentices are unaware that there is a Carpenters' and Joiners' Apprenticeship Commitlee to whom they may appeal, and usually it is not until one has had

about three or four years at the trade that he has the temerity to protest The secretary of the Carpenters' Union has power to stop cheap labour it a person is not bound by an apprentice agreement; why, then, can he not stop it when an apprentice is indentured? In conclusion (in view of the fact that I waited two months for a reply to my last letter) may I ask Mr Meadows how long would one wait for the committee to take action if their assistance was asked for.—l am etc., '

THE SAME APPRENTICE.

MOTOR CHARGES

(To the Editor.?

Sir,—l read with interest Mr.' Scmple's statement concerning the control of motor vehicles, licences etc. To my mind there is also another side of the question that could be revised and that is the taxation and costs of licences for the operation of motor trucks. Ihave a fruit and vegetable run and in order to earn a living at this business I have to pay the following annual taxes and licences:— Heavy duty tax, £10 4s; registration plates, £3 9s; driver's licence, ss; licence for storage of fruit and vegetables, 10s; hawker's licence, £1; testing of scales, 2s 6d. It is also compulsory for the truck to be weighed each year, and a charge is made for this. The heavy traffic licence is far too much in my opinion and truck owners having a number of trucks on the road must pay out huge sums yearly m this way.— l am, etc

JUST A HAWKER.