MAY UNDERTAKE WIRING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20548, 14 October 1936, Page 5

MAY UNDERTAKE WIRING

POWER BOARD ASKS FOR REPORT WORK FOR APPRENTICES The South Canterbury Electric Power Board is considering the abvisability of undertaking electrical installation work and a request for a report on the matter by the engineer (Mr G. W. Morrison) was made at a meeting of the Board yesterday. Present: Messrs G. Dash (chairman), C. E. Kerr, K. Mackenzie, A. W. Buzan, C. J. Talbot, F. J. Cook, J. R. Hart, A. N. Oakey, B. R. Macdonald, G. Saunders and S. I. Fitch. The decision was arrived at as a result of the need to find wiring work for apprentices in accordance with the regulations of the Electrical Wiremens’ Registration Board. The Board, in a letter, stated that on several occasions it had had to decide whether the records of service submitted by some employees of electrical supply authorities were sufficient for the purpose of granting full registration as electrical wiremen after passing the Board’s examination. The cases referred to were those in which the electrical supply authority did not contract for electrical wiring and, therefore, was not in a position to give its employees an all round training in electrical wiring work as defined in the Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Regulations, 1929. There appeared to be some doubt with reference to the experience acceptable in such cases for the purpose of registration, and the Registration Board desired to make the position clear, so that where necessary, employees in future could receive the correct training to enable them to be registered after passing the Board’s examination. In the first place, the employee concerned must serve an apprenticeship of not less than three years to the electrical trade. In the second place, the apprentice must have had satisfactory experience in all work defined as electrical wiring work by regulation 8. The Registration Board was prepared to accept four years all-round experience in general supply authority work as equivalent to two years experience in electrical wiring work, provided the applicant for registration had served at least twelve months additional on the actual wiring of biuldings. No “Blind Alleys” In a report dealing with apprentices, the engineer said the Board had fulfilled a very important duty by answering the country’s appeal to employ and train youths, and in this particular branch of the electrical industry the Board had an obligation to fulfil in seeing that youths had progressive experience which would enable them to become registered electrical wiremen, and thereby ensure their satisfactory future. The experience offered apprentices by the Board, as with the majority of other boards, was fairly comprehensive. Mr Morrison said he had been given to understand that the Registration Board would, in future, require employees of supply authorities, when applying for registration as electrical wiremen, to have, in addition to allround supply authorities experience, served 12 months in the wiring of buildings as well as having passed the necessary examinations. The position then arose—what o the Board’s apprentices under those conditions? He had never lost sight of the fact that youths employed by the Board must not be serving in a ‘‘blind alley,” and working conditions in the past had been such that apprenticeships had culminated in the registration of those concerned. The Board was employing a licensed wireman and an apprentice, attending to defects following re-in-spections. That had already opened up a broad field for the installation of permanent points, for which work country consumers had expressed their difficulty in obtaining the services of an electrical contractor. If the Board decided to carry out the work of installing electrical points, it would enable apprentices to obtain the necessary experience. The engineer was asked to report on the advisability of undertaking electrical wiring. Committee Reports The monthly statement of receipts and payments showed a cash balance in the power fund of £5887/18/-, and in the advances account of £607/18/2. The amount advanced to loans was £2678/4/10.

The General Committee recommended that the purchase of a truck at £BlO, less trade-in of old truck of £l4O, be confirmed. Tire committee recommended that employees of the Board be circularised that the Board wished them to understand that it was an instruction, that private work for pay, must not be taken or participated in, if they desired to continue on the Board's staff.

Mr Talbot said it came as a surprise that the Board’s employees were doing work on their own behalf. Tire chairman explained that it was a general circular to prevent men from

doing work for themselves on Saturdays. Mr Talbot said that the wording of the circular should be altered to make it quite clear that it referred to the employees’ time. There was an imputation in the wording as it read. An extension to the property of Mr Haines, Peel Foiest, at an estimated cost of £129 was approved, subject to a guarantee of 27/- a month being obtained. The report was adopted. The tender of S. Home (£930/10/-) for the erection of a house at Temuka was accepted. It was decided to make application to the Arbitration Court for the right to increase the rent of the house from 21/- to 25/- in view of the increased cost of building materials. On the motion of Mr Kerr, it was agreed to inquire from the Government the under which money could be obtained at 3 per cent under the housing scheme. The Finance Committee recommended that the Board rent the office and showroom premises in Main Street Geraldine. With reference to two guarantees in the Waimate district the committee recommended that the guarantees as given in 1931, be terminated. It also recommended that during Miss Rudd’s absence on holidays. Miss Larnder be employed r or

two weeks at a salary of 15/- per week at the Waimate office. The report was adopted. In his report, the engineer (Mr G. W. Morrison) stated that as authorised by the Board, he had appointed the following additional maintenance staff: H. G. Davidson (Temuka), D. A. Flanagan (Fairlie), W. Anderson (Waimate), C. C. Austin, repairs following re-inspections. A. Robinson had been I transferred from Fairlie to Geraldine. i The report was adopted-.