THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 161, 8 July 1895, Page 5

THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

ACCOUNT OF THE WORK DONE'

Irryiew of.the meeting of subscribers to the Taranaki Relief .Fund, which takes place ,fco r rmorrow, wejhave great pleasure in drawing .'attention, to the following letter which has, been addressed by Mr J. H. Mackie, Secretary to the Auckland Technical Schools 'Association, to Dr., Campbell, treasurer of the fund, which, ib is desired, shall be appropriated for the purposes of technical education in Auckland ; :

Sir,—ln view of the facb thab ab the time of our last writing you we had not yet opened' the Technical School, ib is, we think, only due to the subscribers of the Taranaki Relief Fund that they should be placed in possession of all such particulars as it is now possible for our Association to supply in regard to what has been attained up to the present time. The School premises (secured just about the'timo of my last letter) are situated in Rutland-street, City, opposite the Drill-shed, are builb of brick, and three storeys high, contain ample accommodation, find aro in every way suited to the purposes of a technical school. It baa been clivided off into classrooms, . and the necessary fittings and appliances for the various subjects have been provided, and little now remains to be done to complete what has been considered necessary in this direction.

The School was formally opened by Sir Maurice O'Rorke, President of the Association, on the 10th of •June • last, His Worship the Mayor (Vice-Presidenbj, and a number of other leading citizens and members of the Association being aIBO present. As a full report of the proceedings appeared in the daily papers, I need nob here again refer bhareto. Names of students were at once enrolled, and the classes formed and commericsd work the same week, but owi.;g to the numbers joining each nighb, it iwas deemed advisable to nob begin the term . proper till the 17th June, one week after the former opening. As a result, we have now eleven subjects being taught with class attendances as follows :—Freehand drawing, 10; geomotrical drawing, 12 ; mechanical drawing and machine construction, 16: architectural drawing and building construction,. 17; woodcarving, 7; carpentry and joinery; 22; plumbing, 10 ; cookery, elementary and advanced, 19; dressmaking, elementary and advanced, 20 ; algebra and geometry, 11: total 144, nob including a class in shorthand now, being formed, and which promises to be well attended. There are 137 students on the general roll,, and as several students have taken two or.more subjects tho differencein figures isaccounted for. ' '

The establishment of the school has justified our most sanguine expectations, a much greater number having presented themselves than we wore at first prepared for. More, there are. requests now being made by presonb and would-be students that physics, photography and electricity be included in our syllabus ;,in fact, I understand a requisition is in course of preparation asking that the latter subject be dealt with aa soon as possible. Our desire to provide the instruction is only limited by the funds, already too small at-present, .at our disposal. ' Ifc is,' indeed, a most healthy sign.that so many young people are willing to devote bheir evenings to improving their knowledge in technical trade and ecience subjects, for, as has already been pointed out, some'of the students who tako two subjects' or more spend four nights per week ab the school. The instructors are now getting their classes in order, and work is progressing' steadily and methodically. Nominal salaries only are being paid" to some ot the instructors, others are giving their services free for the first term, after thab onr expendifcure.under this heading will be much heavier. It is intended as soon as practicable to hold examinations, local; and in conjunction with the South Kensington, and City and Guilds of London Institutes to which ib is intended thia School shall be affiliated. The opportunities thus afforded to the students must prove a great incentive to them in their studies and wiil be much appreciated ,by the successful competitors. In view of the position already attained by the School, and the steady demands made for further widening the scope of its usefulness, gives us every confidence in asking that the requesb made in our letter of Bth May. should receive your mosb favourable consideration. We believe bhab. the fact that this institution is now actually established and already attended by 137 students of both sexes, is the beat evidence thab can be broughb forward in support of tho request we hava made, viz., that the unexpended balance of the Taranaki Fund be voted to the purposes of the Auckland Technical School.

As the question haa been asked " whether any student would b6 accepted from any district outside of Auckland?" I may say. that neither in our constitution, or elsewhere, is any bar placed upon anyone. AU that is stipulated is that) students mnsfc ba r4years of age, or .older, pay.the prescribed fees, and conform to the ordinary regulations re conduct, etc. '

I heed hardly saythab should any of the subscribers to the Fund care to visit the School during its*operations-they .will be most welcome so to do.—l have tha honour to be, Sir, youre respectfully,

1 J. Henry Macicie, Secretary A".T.S. A. Dr. J. Logan Campbell, Hosi. Treasurer Taranaki Relief Fund.