Distaste for Trades.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1922, Page 3

Distaste for Trades.

AUCKLAND, December^". V disinclination on the part of P al * ents to have their boys apprenticed to trades was mentioned »>’ tile 110 /' master (Mr Noel Gibson) at the pruseeivimr ceremony at the DiUvorth fnsttnte.~ Mr Gibson said that for some years lie had spoken to parents individually about this matter, but found almost a blind desire <•' to go to the grammar school for however short a time ,and when he asked for the reason, he seldom got any reply beyond a reiteration of the wish. “We have reached a position now

when it will often happen that a bay will win his profieieincy certificate at a fairly early age,” continued the headmaster, “hut it does not therefore follow that he has the capacity to take successfully a university course, ; and unless this is likely to he the ease an extra year or two at school were much more profitably spent at the technical college And what then? I am quite sure that many of your hoys would do exceedingly well in some of the skilled trades. Both labour representatives and employers have told me that one of our greatest needs at pre- J sent is the properly trained journeyman, the man who has served a proper apprenticeship to his trade. Mr Gibson said he was aware of certain difficulties pertaining to the apprenticeship system at the present time, but they were not insuperable so far as the apprentice was concerned, and he thought that lie was right in sav m! that in the various branches of the building trade in particular there was and would be for many years in this country, plenty of work for skilled journeymen. The prospects were at least 11s good as, and in some cases better than, those which faced the majority of lads who sought the more popular work to be found in offices. There was, a greater certainty of work less responsibility, and often better pay ahead of a skilled builder or other craftsman than there was ahead of many clerics and indeed, some professional men. Moreover, to one who

was interested, there must he a world of pride and pleasure in seeing the actual products of one’s work well done We needed a little more pride in craftsmanship.