The New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1917. AN ARTS AND CRAFTS GUILD

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9824, 22 November 1917, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1917. AN ARTS AND CRAFTS GUILD

The Wellington Provincial Industrial Association are to bo congratulated upon inaugurating what may well prove not only a highly interesting hut a userid and fruitful discussion on industrial education. The census figures quoted by Mr L. T. Watkins in the course of the paper read by him at Monday night’s meeting of the association are undoubtedly disquieting. The facts disclosed —that the number ot male and female artizans employed in our New Zealand industries fell Trom 56,359 in 1906 to 56,234 in 1911, a decrease of 125, in spite of a i*se in wages in the same period of 25 per cent., or over £1,1X4,000— afford gravefood for thought; and it is clearly desirable that vigorous measures should be taken as soon as possible to remedy this unfortunate state of affairs. At first glance, it is true, the decrease of 125 in the number of artizans employed in the Dominion may not seem very great; but, when it is remembered that in those five year s we might reasonably have looked for an increase of more than two or three times 125, we get a truer perspective; and it is then manifest that the decrease is indeed a serious matter. Taken m conjunction with the increase in population in the census period m question, it points to an appreciable taking off in the ratio of skilled to unskilled workers in the community, and consequently to a proportionate lowering ot the average status of labour n the Dominion. This is greatly to be tegretted; and it is well that the question should be carefully considere from all joints of view, it, hapdy., remedy may ho found. > ~_ All thoughtful people will unite Vitlh Mr Watkins in deprecating the much too frequent and much too bitter industrial dissensions of to-day. it'ey cannot hut have a very unsettling and detrimental effect upon , trade and industry generally. Indeed, if too long continued, they must in the long run prove disastrous. Thoughtful people will agree with '■ Mr Watkins, too, in regretting the decay of the system of apprenticeship—a decay evidenced not only bv the decrease in the number of boys apprenticed to the various trades, but also by the fact that apprentices ore not now as a rule taught their trades anything like so thoroughly as they used to be. The twofold result, of a decline both in the number of artizans and in the skill and craftsmanship of the individual artizan, is inevitable, and is greatly to ho deplored. The detrimental effects of these industrial troubles upon the educational and the civic life of the Dominion also demand earnest attention. The Workers’ Educational Association is in some sort an attempt to remedy this; and undoubtedly much good work in the same direction could bo done by an Arts and Crafts Guild such as Mr Watkins suggested. As he pointed out, the chief problem we have to deal with is that of the destructive struggle between Labour and Capital —a struggle which, manifestly, must become even more acute in the future unless a satisfactory way out can be found. That an Arts and Crafts Guild will in itself prove a full solution of the difficulty, Mr Watkins does not, of course, suggest; but that it would tend to produce that greater community of interest and that better feeling between master and man, that mutual respect and regard between two classes, so essential to any really effective solution cannot be doubted. The broad outlines of the scheme, as laid down in Mr Watkins’s paper, seem very feasible. Equal representation of trades unions and of employers’ unions on the executive of the guild would, of course, be a sine qua non; and it

also seems to be desirable that tho executive should elect to tho count’d representatives of the educational and the civic life of the city. In addition to bringing employers and employees into closer contact, and helping to sc euro that direct human touch between man and man, the lack of which is such an unfortunate feature oi modern industrial life, the guild would afford a common meeting-ground on which there could be d.scusscd and amicably settled a number of industrial questions which hardly come within the purview of the Conciliation or tho Arbitration Courts; and anythinw that would thus tend to promote a uettcr understanding and a better feeling betwfon master and man is greatly to be desired.

Further, if anything in the way of a civic ceremony when they enter upon their apprenticeship can impress upon our boys the importance of tho occasion, in relation both to their own individual lives and to tho general life of the community, and if making the youth who has satisfactorily completed his .apprenticeship a freeman of the city will tend to encourage our boys to become skilled craftsmen, these suggestions are well worthy of adoption. But, as democrats, we certainly cannot follow Mr Watkins when ho says that, later on, he would like, to see some extension of the franchise—“say an extra vote for a Mayoral election, or five votes, instead of four, for the council” —in recognition of the importance of skilled craftsmanship. A truly democratic citizenship is of even more vital importance than skilled craftsmanship; and in a truly democratic citizenship there is no room for any fancy franchises. However, as Mr Watkins stated in reply to a question, tho franchise suggestion is not a necessary part of tho scheme. As Mr W. S. I-a Trobo (principal of tho Wellington Technical College) pointed out, the germ of the Arts and Crafts Guild idea is already to somo extent embodied in tho board of control in connection with certain industries —plumbing, for example. On that boai;d tbe Technical Education Board and masters and employees are represented; and tbe board arranges the courses of instruction for the apprentices in the several trades, and grants diplomas to those who have satisfactorily completed; the course; and it should undoubtedly bo possible to extend that system with very good effoct ,-, n t-b© lines of the Arts and Crafts Guild. The broad outlines of the suggestion met with very general approval in the course of the discussion that followed tho paper; and we _ note with pleasure that tbo matter is to be followed up at next meeting of the Industrial Association, wheat Professor Hunter is to be asked to reopen tbo debate on the subject and representatives of tbo Trades and Labour Council arc to be invited to attend and take part in the discussion.