TEACHING A TRADE.

Northern Advocate, 26 August 1924, Page 6

TEACHING A TRADE.

SOilE APPRENTICESHIP

PROBLEMS.

Discussions on technical matte vs were frequent during the hearing of apprenticeship applications by the Arbitration Court in Wellington last week. For instance, the question arose as to Avhether a boy apprenticed a.-, a carpenter and joiner would have to be taught two trades, or the trade of a carpenter alone or a joiner alone. It was pointed out that a builder did

not teach an apprentice joiner's work, exeept to a small extent, and a woodwork factory only taught carpentry to a limited extent. To obviate any difficulty, provision was made for teaching either trade or both trades combined.

Mr C. Odlin, of Odliii and Co., was very emphatic . as to the class of workman turned out from their factory. He explained that for many years half fees had been paid for attendance at a technical school for all their apprentices, and he had reason to bo proud of the ability shown in learning; the trade. In one ease an apprentice had started in business for himself on leaving the factory and had proved a great success.

Mr E. Burton said that, the Plasterers' Union was anxious that its apprentices should learn modelling as well as plastering. He admitted that few of the members knew anything about modelling, and that unfortunately there was a class called "jerry" plasterers, similar to "jerry" builders, who carried on the work for a couple of years and then went to something else. To prevent that tlie conditions were worded so that the tradesman of the future will be properly instructed.

In regard to the bakers' and pastrycooks' trade, a difficulty was created by an endeavour to include all juniors in home-made cake kitchens as apprentices under the regulations. This appeared simple enough until an endeavour was made to define "homemade cake kitchens." Eventually the point was referred back to the employers to see what could be done.

In reply to a remark about, the necessity for the attendance of apprentices at technical classes, Mr Justice Frazer said he believed that very few trades could be properly taught unless workshop' practice was supplemented by a certain amount of technical instruction.