PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



19 



at the very start of the working of the scheme to inform 

 each branch of industry of the number for the absorption 

 of which it was expected to prepare. 



In most of the Australian States, but perhaps particularly 

 in New South Wales, the question of the ratio of appren- 

 tices to journeymen in the various trades is one that has 

 been the subject of discussion for many years. With a 

 view to preventing the exploiting of boy labour and still 

 providing for the proper supply of journeymen mechanics 

 to meet the needs of the future, laws have been introduced 

 limiting the number of apprentices generally in the 

 proportion of one apprentice to each three journeymen 

 employed by any employer. It is unnecessary to discuss 

 the various bearings of the law. It will be sufficient to 

 say that it is generally admitted to be arbitrary and 

 unscientific in its incidence, and that there are many who 

 contend that it has a seriously retarding effect on the 

 proper recruiting of apprentices for many of the trades. 

 Most employers and trades' unionists would welcome a 

 more scientific method of apprenticeship allocation, a 

 method that would properly provide, but not more than 

 provide, for the number of apprentices being taken yearly 

 that would meet the future needs of the various industries. 

 Obviously it should be a method allowing for varying con- 

 ditions of trade and industry, adaptable to special needs of 

 industrial stimulation and not necessarily applicable in 

 exactly the same way in every part of the State. 



The method adopted in the allotment of the total number 

 of men to be trained under the Repatriation Vocational 

 Training Scheme over the callings, based, as it was, on a 

 careful estimate of the absorptive capacities of the different 

 trades for some years ahead, perhaps points the way to a 

 better method of apprenticeship allocation. It does cer- 

 tainly appear that it ought to be a very much easier matter 



