XN000022-1976-01-21 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1976

DEBATE ON APPRENTICESHIP BILL

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DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE APPRENTICESHIP BILL SHOULD BE TO PROVIDE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR APPRENTICE TRAINING AND TO MINIMISE EXPLOITATION OF APPRENTICES BY UNSCRUPULOUS EMPLOYERS.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, HE EXPRESSED RESERVATION ON A CLAUSE WHICH EMPOWERS THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR TO EXEMPT AN EMPLOYER FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL IF THE EMPLOYER IS UNABLE TO GIVE ANY YOUNG PERSON ADEQUATE TRAINING IN THE DESIGNATED CRAFT TRADE.

DR. CHUNG THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WRONG IN PRINCIPLE TO EXEMPT ANY EMPLOYER FROM HIS LEGAL OBLIGATIONS SIMPLY BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO MEET THE MINIMUM TRAINING STANDARDS REQUIRED BY THE BILL.

HE NOTED FROM THE SPEECH OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR TWO WEEKS AGO THAT ALTHOUGH THE BILL IN THE FIRST INSTANCE WOULD APPLY ONLY TO CERTAIN DESIGNATED CRAFT TRADES, IT WOULD EVENTUALLY COVER ALL CRAFT TRADES. THE COMMISSIONER SAID THEN THAT THE FIRST BATCH OF RECOMMENDED CRAFT TRADES WOULD BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF THE DEGREE OF SKILLS INVOLVED, THEIR NUMBERS AND IMPORTANCE TO INDUSTRY AND WITH REGARD TO THE AVAILABILITY OF RELATED TECHNICAL EDUCATION FACILITIES.

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+THIS IS FINE FROM THE INDUSTRIAL POINT OF VIEW, HE SAID, +BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL IGNORE, FOR A LONG TIME TO COME, THOSE APPRENTICES ENGAGED IN MINOR CRAFT TRADES.+

DR. CHUNG POINTED OUT THAT IF THERE WERE ANY EXPLOITATION OF APPRENTICES, IT WAS MOST LIKELY TO BE IN THE MINOR CRAFT TRADES.

ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL SPEAKING IN FAVOUR OF THE BILL WAS THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN, WHO REMINDED THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE AIMS OF THE BILL WOULD ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF IT WAS EFFECTIVELY ADMINISTERED.

HE HOPED THAT THIS LEGISLATION WILL NOT BECOME MEANINGLESS BECAUSE INADEQUATE MANPOWER IS PROVIDED TO ADMINISTER IT.+

MR. TIEN SAID THERE WAS ONE POINT IN THE BILL ABOUT WHICH A GREAT DEAL OF MISGIVINGS HAD BEEN EXPRESSED RECENTLY.

HE SAID THAT THE INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARDS HAD MADE STRONG REPRESENTATIONS TO THE TRAINING COUNCIL REQUESTING IT TO DO ALL THAT WAS POSSIBLE TO RAISE THE UPPER AGE LIMIT TO UNDER 19 YEARS OF AGE IN THE DEFINITION OF A YOUNG PERSON BEFORE THE BILL BECAME LAW.

MR. TIEN