TRADE APPRENTICES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 660, 10 November 1909, Page 11

TRADE APPRENTICES.

'', THE aUESTION OF TECHNICAL *' - EDUCATION.

( "' ' VIEWS OP MR. \V. H. BENNETT. ; , An interesting paper containing an important , enggostiou in regird (o upprchtlco and tech-' ntcM education wai load by Mr. W. 11. Bon- '( nett.'one of the Wellington delegates At the 1 ' Builders' nnd Contractors' Conference hold in Chrlstchurch last wick. l '*Mahy pertinent questions," commenced Mr, Bennett, "suggest themselves tor consideration. ( Should uppieutices bo bound by tho old-time , indenture or taken under agreement as bet out in v several awards of tho Arbitration Court? I Hfcve we sufficient lad<t in the Dominion being J taught building trade lo meot or oveu ' ,i 'partially meot the futuro requirements of our i business? Is thero on the p.irt of employers I i a ueluctAnce to take apprentices , ! 1 , Do employers properly teach, oi cause lads to , be ' Uught the trade when they have taken them aa' apprentices* , Does the- Arbitration Court place unduo restrictions an tho number of ypltths any one employer may employ?. What , otif technical schools plnj in the ei'eatioll of hrst-clais tradesmen?,/)ii the subject, J radonturo v. agreomonr, I thirir,b\ery employer, in our trado nt any utu, iv I]i) has studied the Subject will stand for tho latter system every tinle. (Wo inu<it move with tho times, , and see thai the undertakings ate in keeping with tho conditions b> which wo are surrounded. 1 urn , inre inany ot the clauses in tho indentures that > wo of thifi generation senrd under, if now tekd to a prospective appieiitico would create a 'look of surprise uitd pi'ovoko j. smile. Kor on 6 reason or another n.very largo miuibcr of employers will not bo bothored 'with an apprentice, Pcrbounlly 1 think this is. h wrong and selfish principle to act upon, lor where ore the tradesmen to cbmo ,froAi if \to will ; not train thorn. On the other hand, iin om--SJ» ployer may, whau times uio piospeioos, load himself up to tho limit Pith upprootic&j, and if' a sudden doprtns'ou seta iu, such »s wo j have experienced daring tut [lust twelto or / , eighteen months, he niay nnd himself .saddled with a losponsibihly that ho cannot cany out,, and which no otliei tradesman is in a position tto relievo him of. 1 know nt such cases, 't alid the position is bad, for both iimstor and P boy. Gencially speaking, cmployor.s do the ' best they can for tho boy as far as teaching hint his trade is concerned, but in tunny caseik the liids' opportunities are limited, as u gieat | njany i builders have no joinciy shops, otc i '"I tnrnestlj suggest that it bo a rccoinin«ndatioh that five tho shortest time i allowodf foi apprentices, it to bo laid duwn, that if' an emploj«r haf no joinery shop he i can only keep tho boy for foui jears, that a 'certlficaw bo given him for that pnrii.d, and that"' the lad bo required to a liirthci tnolve months at tho , ;branch of the trado ho i * has'.riot previously worked .it beforo ho shall ' rank as" a journeymon, thus giving him a i \ general insight into tho various br.uicher. of i the business Mα bdylj should be taken as an • t ' Hpprcntice until he lsisutecn yeats of use, as I contend that if he is taken younger the time Will be' wasted as far as the five years uro conrertred. The wages fixed by curreut award?, I think, ate ull right, iod 1 cannot follow the Hjg; J, A. Millar when he urges that boys I ebxrald be paid nominal wages during tho hrst i year of t then 20, GO, aud 80 per csint. of journeymen's wages for «aoh of t\e S*xt''Succeeding thttfe jeart, for the sinipjo . loaion that it would not be such a big jump I from upprentico nay to that of u journeyman.. It r ie quite evident he knows nothing from I aotual-expWienco on tho subject on whloh ha \ spoke, or the opinion would havo naier bcon i > expressed. 'i l<consider that it should bo a condition of air,agreements entered into'between boy and empldjer that, durius lit least two out of tho t fiVe'vcnrs, he should regularly attend tho tojhmcnl school for tho more practical part or I his education,,/for it is only durins; tho Utor I p4rt of u boy's apprenticeship thi , . ho r«alisei ■Iw the senOns necessity" Mor personal udvauccmont F and study if he is to properly u't hiiiisclf tor the battle of Jife. If something on (heso lines fcas fortnulatod, I for ono would willingly pay tho'necessarj fees for this tuo jears' tuition, <br for as long as the approntito utteuded tho classes regnlarlj , ) fti'd continued to nuke saltsfactory ptogiess. I iilso think that a board misht up of A certain number of builders, technical instructor or direotor, and I journeymen, who cculd forinnlttt a pr->ttitil i course of mstruotion sttitahlo foL th6Duiuimon. and hold.* prafltical ex'xniina.iions "it stated periods.", oft!6hip«t<.riij' io-ild bo ymilar'ltOj'-ihose niiw jssu'd-to; Hho. plumbers and elcotrio workers 'I ho vd Wo'uid paved fOf tho tiltunato classification of journey aiefl." " ' < s The follomng resolution was adopted mi the j «tlWe;ctt--"ThaUhiß fideratmn appoint u torn mittee,tp confer-with tht Technical Sdhool 'authorities with o view lu the settm,; ti i> of a Central Board;orContr6l, whioh shall arrangn f a yllabus sf ,inetouction for iisd by Iho toohhicol schools o> , tho Dominion, nnd pro mote the holding of regular niid uniform examinations of itpprenticcs in all tsmtrrs, and thatcbeforeian apprentice nho has complrkd his" term of apprenticeship shall be entitle 1 to class himself J -*.*. journeyman, o? to locoivn - r the biimmutt,' \e > as snch, ha shall oafis an f examination, iribed by the Centtaf Boitd > ox control ■* r ';* *'<> mk./la TTvOftli's vawb l"' Intorvieweti bu tho subject, Mr W b J a Trobe, IJireotor of Ucthiucal UJucalion, nx prtssed himself in agruniiiit with the piopo-.il, Mtloh he (.ojuiidercd likoly to uchievn very prilctical results. It nould, ho uid, dbubtldss bu a ,BOOd step towiifds tht) nolution ot tho dllh cdlty, as tne tormutiou ol auuh a board would enablo to bo disullssud from ivny f point; of Tiew. Similur boards hid been libb Hshed in logurd to the plumbing i»ud olettnc il classes, with, very wnsidprable sucetst Tho closer the techmcul schools kept iu touch with employers and workers Ui any trado, tho better developed would the system- of education bceonio.wrhe idea was furturaUy rcpflrttd apon by ft British builders' journal Of couise, tfiore were difficulties in tho way, but he felt BUro, so far us the staff wero couceraed-in this ho thought he could speik lur dthor towns ils well-they gonerally would wekome tliu Idea