PLUMBING APPRENTICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18861, 8 November 1924, Page 12

PLUMBING APPRENTICES.

QUESTION OF PROPORTION.

EMPLOYERS AND TRAINING.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRE3S ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Friday.

I The Arbitration Court to-day heard the first dispute brought before it in Christchurch under the Apprentices Act. It was asked to fix in the plumbing industry in the whole Dominion, except Auckland, the proportion of apprentices to journeymen, wages and extra pay for apprentices who hold technical or educstional certificates find to decide the question of daylight technical instruction. Mr. C. Renri, for the employees, said they asked for one apprentice to three journeymen over a' wnole district, and onk to two journeymen actually employed in a shop, but the employers asked for one to one. The apprentices in the industry at present were not adequately trained, said Mr, Renn, he asked the Court to consider carefully whether employers in a small way should be allowed to'train apprentices. They should be trained by competent journeymen, and words sfiould be inserted to provide that an employer who trained apprentices was "substantially engaged in the trade,"-'as some master plumbers did actual work that was negligible. Mr. Justice Frazer said he agreed with the principle, but its application was difficult. Ho did not like to use the word "substantially," because it had acquired a recognised significance, meaning 50 per cent, or more. It was better to allow the Court to find another word or a sentence to convey the meaning in Mr. Renn's mind. The Court reserved its decision.