H—ll

(4) Tlie principle of daylight training was unanimously recommended to the Courtby the Committees in the following industries, and the necessary powers have been included in the relevant order : baking, boot-repairing, mechanical dentistry, hairdressing,. jewellery and watchmaking, motor engineering, and printing and photo-engraving.. Employers' representatives opposed its introduction in the following industries, but after hearing argument the Court has made provision for some form of training during normal working-hours : furniture, plumbing, ship and boat building. No provision for classes in working-hours has so far been made in the recommendations of the following Committees : clothing, coachbuilding, gardening, painting, saddlery. (5) At the beginning of the school year (February-March, 1949) daylight classesin motor engineering were started in five schools in New Zealand. These were the only schools which the New Zealand Committee was satisfied had at that time the accommodation, staffing, and equipment to meet the requirements of the syllabus of instructionlaid down by the New Zealand Motor Trade Certification Board. About the same time classes in plumbing began in eight schools, four of which were also taking motor apprentice classes. The New Zealand Plumbing and Gasfitting Apprenticeship Committeehas had an advantage in setting classes going in its industry in that most , schools alreadyhad a plumbing workshop not used for any other purpose. As soon as instructors can be found to take daytime classes in further schools such classes will be opened. (6) With little more than a month's experience of daylight classes it is too early yet for any one to pass judgment on them. All that can be said is that in nine schoolsthe new venture is away to a good start.. (d) Local Apprenticeship Committees At 31st March there were 177 local Apprenticeship Committees in New Zealand. These Committees are an essential part of apprenticeship administration, and their members render valuable service *to the community. (e) Statistics of Apprentices Details of the numbers of apprenticeship contracts in force at 31st March, 1949,. and of the numbers of new contracts entered into during the twelve months up to that date, are given in Table XVIII in the Appendix to this report. (A figure given in reports since 1940 —the number of apprentices whose contracts were suspended while they were in the Armed Forces —is no longer mentioned.) There were 12,868 contractsof apprenticeship in force on 31st March, an increase of 50 on last year's figures. Thenumber of new contracts entered into is 3,925, which is higher by 529 than last year'srecord figure. Of the new contracts, 1,421 were in the building trades. (/) Lodging-allowances for Apprentices Lodging-allowances for apprentices obliged to live away from home to learn their trades have been paid to such apprentices since January, 1948. At 31st March, 1949, there were 885 such allowances being paid. (g) Adult Apprenticeships As was forecast in the report for last year, the number of special contracts of apprenticeship approved by the Court of Arbitration (for such persons over the age of eighteen as desired to enter into special contracts of apprenticeship) has declined further", the number being 88 as against 113 of last year.

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