APPRENTICESHIP ORDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23118, 18 February 1937, Page 11

APPRENTICESHIP ORDERS

PROVISION OF FACTORIES ACT INTERPRETATION OF AWARD SOUGHT <Per United Press Association! WELLINGTON. Feb, 17. The question 'whether existing apprenticeship orders are subject to the limitations of the Factories Amendment Act of last year was submitted to the Arbitration Court to-day, when an application was made by the Department of Labour for an interpretation of the furniture trades apprentices’ award. After heating argument, the court reserved its decision. The case is of considerable importance to the employeTs and the workers. It was submitted by Mr E. J. Foot, for the apprentices, that all apprenticeship contracts, whether entered into before or after July 1, T 936, were subject to section U of the Factories Act. After quoting certain legal decisions concerned with apprentices, Mr Foot said that in order that the existing orders should prevail special exemption should have been made in the Factories Act, or, alternatively, some provision made in the Apprentices Act that its orders should prevail over other legislation. For the employers, Mr T. O. Bishop contended that the spirit and underlying intention of the Factories Act was to confer benefits upon factory workers. If it could be shown that results contrary to this intention would accrue from the application of the Factories Act to apprentices, and instead of benefits being conferred upon those whom the Act purported to serve there would actually be created such anomalies as to be prejudicial to the interests of apprentices, then in the absence of any specific provisions in the Act that it did apply to apprentices, it must be held not to apply. He held that the application of the Factories Act to apprentices would create such anomalies and would, in fact, be prejudicial to the interests of boys seeking apprenticeship in manufacturing industries. At the conclusion of the hearing. Mr Justice Page said that the court would take time to consider its decision.