EMPLOYERS AND NEW EDUCATION BILL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12601, 5 September 1910, Page 5

EMPLOYERS AND NEW EDUCATION BILL.

WHOLESALE PROTESTS

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 4. Clause. 17 of the Bill to amend the Education Act is meeting with strong opposition from the Employers' Associatkms all over the country, according to the , general Federation secre(Mr W. Pryor). The clause provides that education boards with the concurrence of the Minister on application by a school committee may compel employers to allow young persons under 17 years of age time off during working hours without reduction of pay to attend continuation classes at technical (schools.

Yesterday Mr Pryor received telegrams from associations representing 10,000 individual employers who were strongly adverse to the proposal. Their main reasons, Mr Pryor states, would appear to be the impracticability of tho proposal. They hold that it would completely disorganise business in many cases in factories where a considerable portion of the workers are persons under 17 years of age. It is conceivable that during the time the young people were attending the classes, the work of the factory wotild be brought to a standstill. " Legislation of this class," Mr Pryor assured a reporter, "was unnecesspry, as sufficient provision had been made for evening instruction, and the hours of work for young people in this country are not so long as to prevent their attendance at evening classes." It is argued that compulsory attendance at day classes is in operation in some other countries. Granted. But the conditions of labour there ar,e very different. The hours worked are much longer and the rate of pay considerably, lower. In Switzerland, for instance, where the system is in operation, adult Avorkers are in many cases paid at less rates than young persons in New Zealand. The proposal is antagonistic to the present law, as the Factories Act, Mr Pryor continued, provides for a 45-hour week for boys under 16 ■ and women, and The Shops and Offices Act provides for a 52-hour wee*, for shop assistants. The'clause objected to by employers would reduce these hours by 2£ hours per week, and .id would also-override many of the Arbitration awards. It has been argued in its favour that tho clause as at present framed is of such a restrictive nature that it would probably be put into operation to a. but very limited extent. If it is the intention of the Government that" the clause should be unworkable," Mr Pryor concluded, "then the proposal is not an honest one, but if the proposed legislation be approved by Parliament and the restrictions make it inoperative, it will not be long before Parliament will remove the restrictions."