TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22935, 4 July 1944, Page 4

TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY

Conditions For Apprentices (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON. July 3. Inclusive of to-day's evidence, the commission of inquiry into apprenticeship matters at present sitting in Wellington has heard submissions on behalf of 18 different sections of industry or of organisations related to industry, both employer and employee. As the majority of witnesses have been cross-examined in detail, a. comprehensive analysis of apprenticeship is already available. The commission will include in its programme this week visits to the trades wing of the Army School, Trantham, the Wellington Technical College and the carpentry training centre under the direction of the Rehabilitation Board, Wellington. The Bitting will conclude on Friday and the commission will commence the Auckland session next Tuesday. Submissions which have drawn considerable cross-examination during the Inquiry may be summarised as follows: (1) Apprenticeship to the industry instead of to the individual employer; (2) Daylight training: (3) Registration of all skilled tradesmen to ensure more adequate recognition of their skill; (4) Registration of all employers to ensure the distribution of employment; (5) A universal basic apprenticeship rate with corresponding yearly increases; (6) Retention of the existing 5-year period: (7) The State to take over responsibility for training in abnormal times, if the private employer was unable to do so; <8) Greater elasticity of the quota system in order to ensure more apprentices; (9) Inspection of apprentices and the certification of journeymen; (10) Replacement of the present wage scale by rates designed to give apprentices a measure of remuneration comparable with those in other skilled trades and in proper relation to unskilled occupations. Lack of Interest Alleged While the Apprentices Act, 1923, and its amendments had met, generally, the needs of industry in so far as the control of apprentices was concerned, many of its provisions could have been used to greater advantage, said Mr R. N. Chaterton, in submitting evidence on behalf of the New Zealand Motor Body Builders’ Association. He held that there had been a lack of interest by employers’ and workers’ organisations and a lack of interest by the administrative department. It was claimed that there was need for a co-ordinating national policj' committee for each industry to lay down a plan that should be followed by the various local committees, for greater interest by technical college authorities in teaching apprentices and the introduction of lectures on progress of industry and its future outlook and lectures on culture and discipline. It was held that of late years there had been a serious lack of respect shown by apprentices toward their seniors at work, as well as to their employers and their employers’ premises, plant and material.

The witness further suggested a more liberal proportion of apprentices in industry. It was believed that trade would and could absorb in the future, without flooding the labour market, one apprentice to each journeyman. The retention of the existing term of apprenticeship was also urged. Apprenticeship to industry was opposed.