MOTOR TRADERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 248, 18 September 1929, Page 7

MOTOR TRADERS

SUBMISSION OF REPORTS. TRAINING OF MECHANICS. BENEVOLENT. FUND REPORT. The symual general meeting and convention of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association, in conjunction with the New Zealand Wholesale Motor and Cycle Traders’ Association, was resumed this morning. MOTOR TRADE BENEVOLENT FUND The following report on the Motor Trades Association benevolent fund was submitted as follows:—The fund, which •was instituted at •• the Wellington conference in 1925, has made little progress until tho present year. At the Nelson conference last year, it was decided to deduct 2£ per cent, from all moneys received as subscriptions to local and Dominion sections of the M.T.A., and to tho Wholesalers’ Association. This has produced during the past year a sum of £9l 17s 4d, made up as follows:—2£ per cent, on subscriptions to M.T.A. Dominion Association, £sl Os 6d; 2£ per cent, to M.T.A. local association, £2B 16s lOd; 21 per cent, on subscriptions to wholesalers’ association, £l2; total, £9l 17s 4d. The credit balanco, which stood at £5 last year, now stands at £9B 19? 4d. A further donation of £2 2s has been made by the South Taranaki branch of the association, and, as tho reason for this gift may stimulate other local associa'U'us to similar action, it Is given here. At the annual meeting of that branch, held recently, in an interval between the dinner and tho business meeting, a member, as a joke, commenced taking up a collection. When asked what was the object, somebody suggested “the bonevolont fund.” This evidently appealed to the meeting, and in a few minutes * sum of £2 2s was contributed in small amounts. At the present rate of income it will be some years before it will be possible to operate on tho fund unless the incomo can be substantially added to. During the year, a deserving member fell on evil times and, after his case had been considered by tho council, an appoal was made to individual members for contributions to a special fund. A sum of £232 was realised, which is to be administered by trustees whore tho mombor is located. Had the benevolent fund been of sufficient dimensions, this special appeal would have been unnecessary. Tho moneys at present in hand are to bo handed over immediately to the trustees, viz., tho president and secretary of tho Wholesalers’ Association and M.T.A. respectively, for in estment in the meantime. TECHNICAL TRAINING.

“The technical training scheme ha 3 made substantial progress during the year and the largo amount of time and money spent is now beginning to give satisiactory results,” staled a report presented. “A’ brief zesumo of the scheme since its inception is considered fitting at this meeting, as tho schemo now in operation is the result of an address given at the motor trado conference held in Palmerston North in 1919. At that conference Mr H. L. Rogers addressed the meeting on tho position of tho motor trade, and some of its most urgqnt requirements. Ho stressed tho need for trained mechanics, and advocated the adoption by the trado of some plan which would ensure better trained mechanics. The idea was enthusiastically agreed to by the meeting, and a committee set up to put it in practical shape. The committee reported to the next annual meeting at Timaru, and submitted a scheme for employing an instructor to organise classes of mechanics. This scheme was adopted and contributions to the technical training fund, amounting to over £6OO, were made at that meeting. When first put into practico, it was found impossible to make progress with the training of adult mechanics, whoso capacity and education were too varied to permit 'of . thpfii ’ being dealt with in common ' classes in‘ the various centres. Ultimately, it was decided the j only chance of success lay in getting the boys when entering the trade, and supplementing their apprenticeship work by theoretical and practical instruction at classes hold in the technical colleges in the various centres. The corsent of tho contributors to the fund was obtained, to permit of diverting the fund to the training of boys, in place of the original plan. “A syllabus and plan of training were drawn up and local associations were invited to set up apprenticeship committees as provided for in the Apprenticeship Act, and obtain apprenticeship orders through the Court of Arbitration. The first class was commenced at Auckland, to which a grant of £IOO was made from the funds. This was supplemented by a grant of £25 from the local association and, as the Government subsidised this £1 for £l, a sum of £250 was thus made available for this class. Valuable experience has been gained through the working of the Auckland class, which has benefited others starting ,later r The principal difficulty has been in obtaining suitable instructors, who can make tho work interesting, and retain the etudonts. A necessary factor to the success is the enthusiastic support of the employers in standing behind and encouraging the local apprenticeship committee. Auckland has done valuable work in this way and the employers have contributed liborally to provide extra finance required. Classes are now in operation at Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru and Invercargill, and all steps have been takno to open a class at Wanganui at the commencement of the •chool year. 350 BOYS IN TRAINING.

“In all, some 350 boys in. the motor trade are being trained in th? 3 way, and each year a number of boys are being turned out who are capablo of taking up important positions in the motor trade throughout the Dominion. Tho scheme is yetr in its infancy, ' and the committee hopes that, ‘within the next two years, tho number of boys being trained may be doubled. The effect on tho industry will bo most valuable and, as each of those boys who successfully compltes the course of tuition receives a certificate of competence, tho day is not far distant when tho certification and licensing of motor mechanics will bo necessary before they can secure employment as efficient mechanics. The moneys contributed at tho Timaru conference have boon nursed by the committee, and have been sufficient in the early days of the scheme to give the assistance roquired in providing spocial equipment for these classes. Tho balance on deposit at the Post Office Savings Bank on June 30, 1929, was £428 10s Id, but, as a number of grants have been made by the committee since that date, the fund has been reduced to £lO3 10s Id. In all, tho following grants have now. beer- made:— Auckland, £100; Wellington, £100; Christchurch. £100; Timaru, £75; Invercargill, £SO; Oamaru, £SO;. Wanganui, £SO; New Plymouth, £SO; a total of £525. Tho time has now arrived when it is necessary to provide a regular source of income for this fund, and the committee asks that this bo dealt with at this meeting! Tho committee has decided that all local associations adopting tho scheme and working under tho conditions laid down by tho committeo will be given an opening grant of £SO, and subsequent annual grants on a capitation basis of a sum which must be regulated by tho income. To be successful and to carry on this schemo to its practical conclusion, an income of at least £7OO por annum will bo required, and the committee recommend that a small subscription por member per annum would easily provide this, and would prove a most profitable investment to' everybody concerned with the motor trade.” Speaking to the latter , report, Mr D. F. Bauchop stated that the necessity to have properly trained mechanics was becoming more apparent daily. However, the funds were. now very low and some means of contributions would be necessary to further a very valuable scheme. . ~ On Mr Bauchop’s suggestion it was decided that every member of the trade, with the exception of benzine and tyre 'sellers, be asked to make a contribution of 10s per member per annum towards tho fund for the training Replying to Mr G. W. Tench (Christchurch), the secretary stated that such contributions would be subsidised by the Government.