AN OBSOLETE ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17268, 18 September 1919, Page 8

AN OBSOLETE ACT.

PUNISHING APPRENTICES. ONLY "SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.'' [BT TELEOBAFH. —OWN COEKESPONBENT.] CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday. i Seven days' solitary confinement is the only punishment provided in the Masters and Apprentices Act, 1908, for an apprentice who is convicted by a magistrate for a breach of duty. There is no provision for a fine. This fact -was brought to light at the Magistrate's Court, when Allen Keka Bower, apprentice fitter employed on the New Zealand railways, was charged i before Mr. McCarthy, S.M., with breaches of duty, in that he absented himself with, out leave, and also that on two occasion!! he came late to work. Frederick A. Laurie, railway workshop ß manager, said that defendant had been late for duty on 16 different occasions, and was absent from duty on six different days. He had been warned repeatedly about his conduct. The defendant said that if he was only a minute late he was marked 15 minutes late. On three occasions he had been fined by the Department for breaches of duty. Defendant admitted that he had tried to have his apprenticeship contract cancelled. On the occasion he was absent without leave he was ill.

The magistrate pointed out that the penalty for a breach of duty was seven days' solitary confinement. The Act wa& obsolete in this respect. Mr. Laurie said the Department did not want such a penalty indicted. A reprimand from the (Bench would be sufficient The magistrate said the defendant could not be convicted for being late for duty, as no hour for starting work was set out in the Act. These two charges would therefore be dismissed. However, in absenting himself without leave, the defendant had committed a breach of duty, and on this charge he would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.