MAKING TRADESMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 247, 18 October 1922, Page 5

MAKING TRADESMEN.

I GOOD WORK AT THE 'TEC. I -MEMORIAL COLLEGE KOLIX CAI.A. i NEW WORK&HOP<« OPKNKI). None hi the .lucaey t-pent in buildings of a public .luring ilic past few years lias lieen better expended tlian the £2.-),OfXI put into tho now workshop* of the Sedduji Memorial Technical ( allege, for a. lone; time the splendid work that. jV being done at the college himoii" the ri*in<!: generation nf Aurkland's tradesmen and women, li.is been considerably !i;indii-.i|>]>cd owing to the lack i>f space. Over TOO .-tudents arc now on tlie books, ami the ferroconcrete main building, lino y< it i- and large as it scorned when lirst erected, had become far too small fur all the activities of (lie college tv have full play. So strong representations were made to the liovernment through tin- Minister of Education (tlie Hon. ('. .1. I'arri and the result was a grant which enabled the Hoard of Managers to erect t lie splendid dotiible storey and basement fire-proof building wbioli now stand* on the St. I'aul'- street frontage of the college area. Messrs. Crier son and Aimer designed n 'highly suitable strncliire. and the Kletcher t onstructi"n Company, who <jot the contract, have carried out their part in a very faithful manner. 'Klagft were (lying on tlio assembly ground this afternoon at the college, the occasion being the ofticial opening of the new building, an office that was to have been performed by the Hon. c. .1. Parr, whose Parliamentary duties, however, kept, him in Wellington, and the Mayor (Mr. .1. 11. (iunsou) kindly m-ted in the Minister's stead. Flanked by the college excellent trumpet band, the bi>.\ s and girls were drawn up and made a fine smart appearance. After the Xationnl I Anthem, which was rousinglv sung, the jChairman of the College Board (Mr. ;H. S. \V. King) gave an address, and the new director (Mr. Park) was welcomed. Mr. \V. J. Hold-won h. the late chairman of the College Board, followed with some remarks on the excellent workdone by the college, and then the Chairman of .the Auckland Education Board I Mr. E. C. Banks) called on the Mayor to declare the building open. After an admirable addrees, his Worship turned the key in the door of the workshop*, ■which were then inspected. The suesi* then returned to the main building, where tea was served and tliose guest* who wished it were shown the variom denartinents. The acting director (\[ r . R. M.-LarMil and the other teachers made excellent iiosts, End t ! !ioee visitors -who luvl not I rcviously been aware of the many :i.-t : \ ities of the college were surprised at the -rtlendid service that is being rendered i<» the community in a most unostentatious way. A VISE BIILDIXG. Tliere is a basement and two storeys to the new workshops, and outside a very good swimming hath has been provided for—an adjunct that will be greatly appreciated during Auckland's steamy summer. In the basement is located th« plumbers" shop (Mr. Harold Paul, instructor), and particularly noticc-nUle was a large display of some of the models made by the night classes. ThN work has heen pronounced first class by experts, who say it could be exhibited anywhere. There were also *ome excellent examples of lead bossing, which to the layman is very fascinating.

On the same floor is also the smithy i.Mr. .1. AY. Jameson, instructor), whieii ia another busy spot, with its many forgo* ami room for twenty forges in all. Here the lads learn elementary blaeksmitbing in a very thorough manner. Next comci the moulding shop (foundry), where iron nioulilinjr and brass ' cart ing is done in much more advanced stages than one would have thought possible in a school- The ''shop" Ims even a patent core-drying machine. I'pstairs in the machine shop (MY. O. Uing, instructor) tlu-re is a fascinating maze of wheels, belts and pulleys, and it is interesting t<, know that all the maciitilery and sna.ftinp was erec-ted l.v the boys themselves under the instructor's supervision. Kight lathes, milling machine, planing and shaping machine, shears and puncher, drilling macliin.-. hack-saw machines ana all the gear of a modern -'shop" are to be found, and the tool-room where the tools are kept is a model of what such a 700111 must he. Oil the top floor are housed the voting iijilders nnd wood workers fr.>in>rnli\7 •Mr. \V. .1. Fletcher, in charpo' of the wood-work marlrino shop. !us ,omi • hniutlfii'l machines under his piiar-M , . t1,,. circular saw bench in par , idilar* Ileitis wh.it : \n enthusiast would tall :i "loveNtool." It is possible to •..■iidiitre fnwn *-r croweut sans by sim,.lv turning a wheel, and the bed, ponderous a? it U. may be canted with the ease of tippinj; f> caret table. Planer*, surfaces, band saw. turning lathes, and an injjenioiimechnuieal tool grinder are anions>t the machines of which the lade have the ii.-c. and a feature of this room is the fm-c that most of the machines have srlfcontainrr electric motors. Mr. AY. .Stephenson. instructor in building: trades, and Mr. Bain, who iin charge of the t-abinet-niaking dus>e,. both liave some excellent proofs vi the efficacy of their instruction. T!inxampleg of tiie 'household artiile- huhlhy thp lads a re most intorcstinp. mnlainini as they do specimens of .lovetailing, dowellins. inlaying, turning iin.l other branches of the' trad-r. In'lmth the cabinctmaking and building .lii--.~ there, are some really h'ne >iipr7meii. ~f the work of the youilg ilian/jjit -mcit. Iμ tli« old days lads were left Tγ, "jiU-k" il|i tlieir trades'" as they .-onlH. and while tliat nften lei' n, ih,i survival of the fittest. i; »,,- ~ wasteful way of training our wurkrifsi. ami the good results that folln.v ; ■• .■arcful, ■ well-balanced instru.:tii.n 1■• .- vided at tbe >e.ldon mu-t be ivrc •1 .- reachinjr.