§ 17. Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Labour whether he will allow articled clerks to complete their articles before being called for military service in the same way as trade apprentices are deferred until the end of their indenture period.
§ Mr. IsaacsNo, Sir. The call-up of apprentices is not deferred on account of apprenticeship except in some occupations in the engineering and shipbuilding industries, and then only to an extremely limited extent. I cannot regard this as a valid reason for changing the practice in regard to articled clerks in present circumstances.
§ Sir J. MellorIs not there a great shortage of accountants at the present time? Why should there be this adverse discrimination in respect of articled clerks?
§ Mr. IsaacsI hope I can make it clear that there is not an adverse discrimination. An apprentice is not deferred because he is an apprentice but because he is doing work of vital and essential character. It is the character of the work and not the nature of the terms of employment on which deferment is given.
§ Sir J. MellorWould it not be advisable to arrange that all apprentices are deferred as well?
§ Mr. IsaacsThat is quite another question.