PLUMBERS’ APPRENTICES.

Evening Star, Issue 18334, 23 July 1923, Page 8

PLUMBERS’ APPRENTICES.

■:0 TER 15D1TOE. Sir, —The deputation of plumbing employers to the Board of Managers of tho Technical Col leg'; was unnecess.irv, as the mailer could have been dealt with by tho director; but by going to the board tho employers’ side of the question received publication in the Press. There are other aspects. Tho employers stated that they are prepared to give monetary recognition to apprentices to encourage ability; but they have a bond to discredit merit in tradesmen, as the number of men who have gone north, started in business of late years, and left tho trade for other occupations bears out. Mr T. Scott the chairman, made a scHous misstatement when ho stated what any pupils attending the Technical School for even a quarter only had been successful candidates, this being contrary to facts, as nine out of every ten candidates for examination attend" the school, some f or as many as five years, and they fail. Why? Not because of another unproved, irresponsible statcnrmt by the chairman “of too many picture shows.” There arc many reasons, tho chief ores being that the theory class in plumbing is tho poorest equipped for its size in New Zealand, probably in the world, there being no facilities whatever for demonstrating the principles of circuhdkm of b.;t water and air expansion and contraction, capillary attraction, etc Also, how can apprentices be expected to do themselves justice when they are at exceptionally heavy work (mostly laboring! during the (lay. get borne tired out, having to gulp down their tea to get to the school by 7 o’clock, and work amongst unhealthy lead and gas fire fumes for two solid hours? Is it to bo wondered at that when tho examination is over they are a mass of pimples, etc., and on tho verge of being run down? Mr Wilson was correct in saying that these who passed were pupils of the Technical School j so ware tho failures. Mr i)ouglas ( iu his

stage-manager style, dintlged that, he is (like ilie supervisors at (he examination;:) on bis honor not to make public remark:; about examinei ion work, but he did not

state why the work is going back; it is because of the unfair cumin ions of the examinations. Candidates are given nuestiois which, if answered comedy, would be contrary to the Dunedin by-laws; also catch questions are most unfair wium the candidate is qualifying to be a joitrnev man; also, despite frequent appeals to tile Plumbers’ Bend, the sectional marks arc not given, and flic candidate docs not, know where he failed. If such marks were given the instructors could coach the camlioaifs up in their weak points. Again, the candidates have never yetgot a satisfactory answer to enable Linn lo know whether the examiners are able to identify cnndidaies’ work when passing judgment on it. This has caus’d no emi of dissat isfaciiou and loss of confidence in the examiners, as requests to the Plumbers’ Hoard to make the office of examiners a ''oiling one hear out. A highly certificated Dunedin journeyman supervisor was so disgusted with Iris experiences I hat he has never again olicrtd Ids services. Candidates whom he considered should have passed failed, am] two candidates, whose work was inferior to others, passed; they were employers’ relatives. The union protested lo tuc Plumber?’ Board, but got up against a brick wall, A 1 y own expe-hence as supervisor was similar The employer's’ supervisor and myself agreed that a certain candidate was outstanding from the others. He failed; others passed. Now, is it to bo wondered at that candidates are, dispirited, and don’t care whether they get through or not? As a matter of fact, some openly state that it is immaterial if they aro registered or not, as He difference in the rates of pay between registered and unrecistered men is almost nil.

That the plumbers’ organisation is recommending its branches to pay increased wages to boys passing examinations sounds nice, but if if. is on (he lines proposed by Mr Douglas (and carried) at their last conference the proposals are so unworkable as to he rid'culous. The Technical School Board of (Managers decided that two employers could visit the class and report direct to tho board. Why to the board, and not through the Technical College director, the proper procedure? Why this slur? Is it because of the director’s attitude on daylight training in opposition to tho autocratic Employers’ Association '■ Is tho tail beginning to wag the dog? Incidentally, (.hero has been a great outcry about tl io shortage of apprentices. Til re i weeks ago I advertiscd for a boy to learn tho trad?. Four bovs at once applied. Now, although K Mf*iP''’fl)o employers have been notified, P?nfl have the addresses of three intelligent-looking boys wailing to become apprenticed to the plumbing trade.—l am, etc., 11. V. Fukehax. July 20.