WORKERS' WELFARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18950, 23 February 1925, Page 11

WORKERS' WELFARE.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. * . EMPLOYMENT OF APPBENTfCES \ - - TOO MANY ENGINEERS. TRADE CONSIDERED "GENTEEL." Matters affecting workers in several trades were brought lo the attention of the Minister for Labour, the Hon. G. J. Anderson, on Saturday morning, by members of a deputation, which included Messrs. M. J. Savage-. M.P., W. E. Parry, M.P., A. Rosser, R. F. Barter, and H. Campbell. The position of first and second-year apprentices in the painting trade was referred to by Mr. Campbell, who said that the apprentices committee recently v.enfc to the -Arbitration Court for an interpretation as to whether the provisions of th® Apprentices Act covered these workers. The Court ruled that first and secondyear apprentices were not covered by the new order, continued Mr. Campbell, although it had been generally understood that it was the intention of the Act, and of the conference which had been held in Wellington, that they should be so covered. It was unfair to the apprentices that they should be excluded, for as matters now stood, new apprentices were gaining a distinct advantage over those in their first and second year. Mr. Anderson: When the case came be-, fore the Arbitration Court, did you; people up here apply to have the first and second year men brought under thii' provisions of the Act? Mr. Campbell: No. Mr. Anderson: That is the trouble. In replying, the Minister agreed thafe it was unfair that an apprentice half-way , through his term should be worse off than, i one who had just entered the trade. There was no doubt that it had been the intention of the conference, and it was also the intention of the Act, that its provisions should apply to first and sec-ond-year apprentices. Some Wellington employers were already paying the latter under the new order, but others were not. The Court could not take action with regard to the special clause covering tha situation, unless its attention were specially drawn to it. The only course now was for application to be made to the (3ourt for reconsideration of the award to bring that clause into effect. Two to One. A complaint that the engineering trad* was being overloaded with apprentices was voiced by Mr. R. F. Barter. Two apprentices were now allowed to every journeyman, which, he said, was far more than the trade oould absorb. A large number of engineers had arrived from overseas, and local workers had been forced into other occupations. New Zealand was the only place in the world 1 where two apprentices were employed to; one journeyman, and at the present rate , the position in 20 years' time would he; that in the northern industrial district: alone, there would be 39,560 apprentices to 19,980 journeymen. He suggested that] the order should be altered so as to allow; one apprentice to every three journeymen for the next five years". While agreeing that the matter was a; serious one for the engineering trade,: the Minister expressed the opinion that>|. the only effective remedy lay with tint: parents. There seemed to be a generalJ idea • that engineering was a . more "genteel" occupation than bricklaying or building, and while that idea prevailed parents would continue to put their: boys to engineering. The number of applications for positions :in the trade was three; or four times greater than the demand. I Even though the lads might gain a better, living at other trades, thev would not! enter them, because they were not "gen-i teel." "Personally. I look on that as soi much rubbish," added the Minister.! "Every trade and calling should be on a par, but I am sorry to say the majority,; of people do not look at it in that way. It is a great mistake on the part of! parents to crowd their boys into trades where there are no prospects, instead of putting them into those that, are clamour-* ing for workmen." ' Remedy with Parents. A member of the deputation suggested that the case might be met by making, the proportion of apprentices lowe». The Minister replied that this was a mattery for the Court, but to his mind/the only; real remedy lay with the parents. The matter of the application of the* Scaffolding Act was brought forward byj Mr. Campbell, who gave details of artj accident which had occurred in with some building work being done at Government House. A defective plank had given way beneath one of the workmen. and although he had only fallen 5 ft* the accident might have been a very much more serious one. The Public Works Department was exempt from the operations of the Act. and in view of this the speaker asked that some provision bo made which would ensure that only sound scaffolding would be used. In the cas<a mentioned . the timber had been used previously for work which had weakened it, and it snapped. There were several other planks which were not safr. and three, out. of five had subsequently been condemned by an inspector. Mr. Parry stated that, during last session he hail l tried, to secure at» amendment to the Aci binding the Crown the same as private employers, and the Prime Minister had promised to confer with his colleagues, upon the matter. The Minister stated in reply that tb<> provisions of the Scaffolding' Act wero now being carried out with the greatest euro bv private employers. The Public* Works Department had its own engineers and- inspectors, who were held responsible for the Sftfo carrying out of .its work. but. in every case the human element camo. in. He agreed to bring the matter to-thw attention of the Public Works Department. A request that the Labour Department]! "shako up" employers so that returnsi dealing with the numbers of journeymen and apprentices might be sent, in to committees more promptly was made by Mr. B. Martin. Those' returns wera supposed to he sent in during November, but on making; inquiry he had been told there was no hope of getting them in before March. This made it very difficult! for committees, who did not know at present where they stood. The Minister promised to make inquiry into the matte? at once.