§ Mr. LEONARDasked the Minister of Labour the number of Government instructional factories under his control where instruction is being given in cabinet-making, french polishing, cabinet machinery, upholstery, or other sections of the furniture industry; the number now in training in each factory for each section; the periods of instruction given and the total trained since the inception of the scheme; if the products of the trainees are prepared for the ordinary commercial market; and the number of trainees placed in ordinary employment, together with the wage rates, if any, insisted upon those responsible for placing such trainees in employment?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONInstruction of this kind is given at seven Government training centres. The number of men in training on 30th January, was—cabinet making, 160; french polishing, 69; upholstery, 84; and wood-machining, 53.
2047WFigures are not available for the total number so trained since the inception of the scheme. The length of the normal course is 26 weeks. Each man is, however, expected at any time during the course to take any suitable employment which has been found for him by the Department or which he finds for himself. These centres do not aim at turning out skilled craftsmen, but the training and instruction provided should be sufficient to enable a trainee to obtain employment as an "improver"; no fixed 2048W figure can be laid down for the commencing wage, but, in practice, it is usually not less than 10d. per hour. The products of the trainees are not placed on the ordinary commercial market, but in order that they may gain experience upon various stages of work up to the point at which the completed article is turned out occasional orders form outside sources are accepted. The amount of work done upon such articles forms, however, an exceedingly small proportion of the total work performed as training exercises.