APPRENTICE AT 35

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17132, 7 September 1926, Page 9

APPRENTICE AT 35

LEARNING NEW TRADE

ARBITRATION COURT PROBLEM. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last, night, A rather unique case engaged the attention of tho Arbitration Court to-day, when A. R. Clark appealed against the decision of the Electrical Workers Apprenticeship Committee to exclude him on the grounds that he was not a genuine apprentice, and that- his employer was not in a position to teach him the trade.

Tho facts revealed were to the effect that tho appellant was 35 years of age, a married man with six children. He was employed at the rate of 2s 3d per hour. His employment was largely coufinod to the wiring of houses and the installation of heaters. Clark's employers admitted that ho "was only engaged on small contracts. lie had never had an apprentice go through his hands and secure his certificate. The work carried out by Clark was done under his supervision. In support of tho union’s decision, it was maintained that the nature of Clark’s employment did not offer Infix scopo to learn an electrician’s work. Email house wiring was of the most elementary description of electrical work.

In the course of the judgment of the Court His Honor Mr. Justice Frazer said that, as long as tho Act remained as at present! an employer was requires! to teach the trade to an apprentice. Tho Court had decided to view the case as a special one. No serious harm would be done to any other apprentice, if it, allowed Clark to have three years' apprenticeship at the rate of 2s 3d per hour as at present. The Court' was influenced by tho fact that Clark was a, man of mature years. He was sympathetic for a man with a largo family who had given up eighteen months of his time to learn a. new trade.