APPRENTICE PROBLEMS

Southland Times, Issue 20771, 11 May 1929, Page 17

APPRENTICE PROBLEMS

CONFERENCE CONCLUDES. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, May 9. The conference called by the Government to consider the apprenticeship problems concluded to-day. "That in every case where an apprentice is employed to whom an apprenticeship order applies, a printed or type written copy of the order shall be kept affixed in some conspicuous place in the workshop or place of business where it may be easily read by the apprentice” was carried unanimously. A resolution was passed providing that proceedings may be taken any time during the employment of the apprentice or withing six months thereafter. A motion: ‘That all employers before employing an apprentice shall make application to the apprenticeship committee or to the district registrar of apprentices where no committees are set up, for permission to employ an apprentice and shall not employ such apprentice without first obtaining such permission,” was carried. Before the conference closed, the Minister of Labour (the Hon. W. A. Veitch) thanked the delegates for the manner in which they had tackled the problems of apprenticeshin. The conclusions arrived at by the conference, continued the Minister, would be carefully considered by the Government. He regarded the apprenticeship problem as one of great importance and intense interest to the people of New Zealand. Avenues of employment had to be found for the -oung men. He believed that as the years went by there would be an increasing demand for 'skilled artisans. He was quite convinced that the great weakness of our education system at the present time was that it did not provide as much as it might be expected to provide in the direction he had indicated. On behalf of the Government, the Minister thanked the delegates for their services, assuring them that their recommendations would be treated as coming from a body of experienced and responsible men.