DEARTH OF APPRENTICES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3032, 20 March 1917, Page 7

DEARTH OF APPRENTICES

TECHNICAL' EDUCATION COUKSE. , ,-At..last'.evening's .'meeting'; of/the I'Wellingtou Industrial Association,' Mr. T. Ballinger presented ' copies''of; a paper he iiad. prepared on the subject of apprentices and technical education. . In. the course of his paper Mr. Ballinger said that the Chnstchurch. Technical Education Board had suggested: <1) That the primary school' courseshould ond»at 12 years; (2) that all children tiike (compulsorily) a full-day course to the ago of 15 years in cither: (a) a secondary school, (b) a technical school; (3) that freo place bo optional ■to those who deserve them from 15 to ■19 yearn in: (a) a secondary school, (b) a technical school; (4) that free ■places, from the ace of not loss than 18, are available at university or. higher technical college for four years for tnoso deserving them. ' ■ "It is suggested," said Mr. BallinCer, "that by reducing the age of the student in primary schools to twelve j'ears, and thon having a compulsory lull-day course for another three years in a secondary or technical school, tho ' student should discover what ho is inosfc suited for. It is a great pity that parents cannot see the injury done to their children when, fora few extra shillings in wages thoy allow them to take positions as messaco boys, instead of learning a usoful trade. . . . It is to bo regretted that when our last award was beforo the Arbitration Court more evidence was not given by employers on the question of assistance and, improvers, for in all previous agreements and awards to had ono assistant for each journeyman and improver, and in our present award improvers were struck out altogether and tho number of apprentices was reduced to ono to two journeymen. Through tho war we have lost a number of oijn best tradesmen, and under tho restricted award wo are not able to fill up tho unfortunate losses of many young tradesmen whp have given up ' their lives for King and country."