THE PROBLEM OF APPRENTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17630, 21 May 1919, Page 8

THE PROBLEM OF APPRENTICES.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—ln your issue of last Saturday the Hon. J. T. Paul, in his Industrial News and Notes, touches on the problem of apprentices. Ho mentions a criticism on the subject by "Industrial Tramp," in tho Auckland iitar, who says that on passing- a boilermaker's establishment he noticed an apprentice engaged in sifting ashes, -which .should have been done by a labourer. There are several reasons, both right and wrong, why this apprentice should bo sifting ashes, and I do not think Mr Paul and "Industrial Tramp" are in a position to judge the right or wrong of the action. It- ss well known that undue advantage is taken of apprentices in some shops, and I iaiow of no body of men in any station of life, in or cut of politics, etc., who are free of iho taint of taking advantage of their fellow beings. - On the other hand, I should like to put a problem before Mr Paul and "Industrial Tramp." The boiler shops for the oast two or three years have, generally speaking, been doing only jobbing or repair work. As plates for new work have been at a prohibitive price, if at all procurable, work is very irregular. It has been necessary to keep a certain number of hands, ready for repair work, which lias always to be done in a hurry; aDd, since the hands cannot be put on stock work, as material ia not procurable, the problem is what to do with them 1 know an employer (a personal friend) in the sheet steel line v»ho employs a few hands, and who, for the reasons I have mentioned, makes less money and has more worry out of his business than any oDe man he employs. I have merely indicated some noints in this problem, because I suppose many tradesmen read Mr Paul's notes and swallow all the criticism without perhaps thinking of the other side of the question because they never had to.—l am, etc., Dunodin, May 19. WoBKEB