H.—ll

Return showing Number of Apprentices employed in Skilled Trades, April, 1934. (The figures for the previous year are shown in parentheses.) Number of Number of Number of Trade. Apprentices Trade. Apprentices Trade. Apprentices employed. employed. employed. Baking .. .. 153 (219) Electrical .. 287 (329) Plumbing .. 300 (391) Boatbuilding .. 11 (19) Engineering . . 524 (672) Plastering .. 68 (106) Boilermaking .. 37 (45) Motor-engineering 659 (861) Printing . . 538 (596) Bootmaking .. 136 (145) Furniture .. 312 (421) Saddlery .. 24 (33) Boot-repairing . . 19 (32) Gardening . . 14 (15) Sail, tent, &c. 1 (1) Blacksmithing .. 21 (25) Hairdressing .. 78 (107) Tailoring .. 14 (16) Bricklaying . . 15 (33) Hatmaking .. . . (2) Tinsmithing . . 92 (117) Carpentering . . 505 (757) Jewellery . . 28 (36) Wicker-working 13 (14) Clothing .. 51 (53) Leadlight '.. 16 (20) Coachbuilding . . 140 (217) Masonry . . 16 (16) Totals . .4,303 (5,594) Coopering .. 5 (5) Moulding . . 62 (85) Cycle-working .. 12 (11) Painting . . 152 (195) The following table shows the number of apprentices employed in each year during the past six years :— Number of . •, Number of April, Apprentices. * p ' Apprentices. 1928 . •• •• 10,227 1932 .. .. .. .. 6,910 1929 .. .. 9,943 1933 .. .. .. .. 5,594 1930 .. .. .. .. 9,826 1934 .. .. .. .. 4,303 1931 .. .. •• 8,901 Amendment of Act. The provisions of section 56 of the Finance Act, 1932, which give Magistrates power, on application by any party concerned, to amend, suspend, or cancel any contract of apprenticeship in force at the date of the passing of the Act, are still being invoked to a considerable extent, owing to the difficulty experienced by employers in finding employment for their apprentices. Before a Magistrate, however, can cancel a contract under this section he is required to be satisfied that, owing to the economic conditions affecting the industry concerned or the particular business of the employer, the employer cannot reasonably be expected to continue to carry out the terms of the contract, but in the event of his ordering cancellation of the contract he may, if he thinks fit, award compensation to the apprentice. The following table shows the number of applications dealt with under this legislation during the year ended the 31st March, 1934 : —

Applications under Section 56 of the Finance Act, 1932, for Relief from the Provisions of Apprenticeship Contracts.

7

„ , . Nature of Decision. Total Number of ! 7 Applica- I Contracts Contracts Contracts Relief 10ns. I var ie(J, suspended. cancelled, j refused. I 1 ' Baking ■ ■ • ■ ■ • • • j ® • • 1 j .. Boilermaking .. ■ • • • • • 3 3 Bricklaying . . ■ • • ■ • ' • * Carpentering .. • • ■ • ■ • 31 25 2 2 2 Coachbuilding . . • • • ■ 1 1 Electrical .. •• •• 8 6 1 1 Engineering .. ■ • • • • • 36 36 Motor-engineering .. • ■ • • 29 21 4 4 Furniture . • • • • • ■ • ? Gardening .. • • • • • • 1 1 Hairdressing . . . ■ • ■ • • 6 6 Leadlight .. • • • • • • 3 3 Painting .. • • • • .. 11 8 1 1 1 Plumbing .. • • ■ • . . 36 32 1 2 1 Plastering .. • • 3 2 .. 1 Printing . • • • ■ ■ ■ • 210 185 . . .. 25 Saddlery .. • ■ • ■ ■ ■ 3 3 Tinsrnithing .. . . • ■ ■ • 3 3 Totals 399 348 10 12 29