BUILDERS FEDERATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 29

BUILDERS FEDERATION.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR APPRENTICES. WELLINGTON, July 16. A- depuation from the New Zealand Buildefs' -Federation, waited upon the Acting Minister of Public Works to-day and. asked tho Government to adopt the conditions governing Government - contracts agreed to at a meeting of builders and architects held at Timaru some time ago* The deputation also brought! forward tha question of conserving native timber areas The Minister .said he would require to» peruse the conditions of contract before giving any definite reply, but, speaking generally, they would appear a rather large order. Regarding native timber areas, he said the Government recognised the necessity of conserving all timber supplies. The. same deputation 'afterwards waited on the Minister of Labour, and asked for capitation allowance to enable apprentices to attend technical school- classes, and to give the Arbitration Court "power to compel attendance of apprentices at such classes. The Minister eaid that", the Government was spending an enormous sum on technical education, and he did not know where the present trend of things was going to land them. The Minister also pointed out thai education was compulsory up to 14 years, and the deputation were .now practically asking the Government to make it compulsory up to 21 years. He asked if the employers proposed to give any time for the( boys to attend the technical classes. Mr Bennett, president of the federation, said that that point had not been gona into. The Minister said that consideration musts be given to the whole matter before • decision was arrived at. ■ \ „,...'/