"BE THOROUGH.".

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 139, 14 June 1932, Page 9

"BE THOROUGH.".

HIS EXCELLENCY'S ADVICE. VISIT TO TECHNICAL COLLEGE. IMPRESSED WITH WORK. A guard of honour of Seddon Memorial Technical College Cadets presented arms to the Governor-General, Lord Beklisloe, and the Lady Bledisloe when Their Excellencies paid a visit to the school this morning. After a tour of inspection of classrooms where practical work is taught, His Excellency addressed the students in (lie assembly hall. Their Excellencies, who were accompanied round the school by the principal. Mr. 0. J. Park, members of the board of governors and members of the teaching staff, expressed themselves as surprised and delighted with the work of the school. They appeared to be espcs'a'ly impressed with the work of the boys in the carpentry and euginetring departments where they chatted with the pupils for a considerable time. Their inspection lasted nearly two hours. "I have In-, i! wanting to visit you and your school for the past two years." said His ExeeKeiuy in addressing the pupils, "but various difficulties have stood in the way. T was delighted to hear you sing our glorious National Anthem. That was, I hope, not only an expression of loyalty to His Majesty the King —the great link with the great Empire of which we are so proud —bu£ was also an expression of loyalty to your God, your school, to the high ideals which you are taught here, to your parents, to yourselves and all that is best in you."

"Not Shop-Soiled."

His Excellency said that a great many public-spirited men had expressed regret and disappointment that so many boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 20 were finding it difficult to find employment in the present industrial conditions. What he wanted to point out was that although the Government of the country could do a great deal, they could not do everything, and we had to look to local effort and local self-sacrifice to assist. Above all, he urged that the young people should not be idle. There was an expression . for goods which lay in a shop for a long time, said his Excellency. The goods were called "shop-soiled." But because the young people were not able to find employment they must not get the impression that they were "shop-soiled." "Your country needs you badly, and needs all that is best in you —you will be the backbone of the country," said Lord Bledisloe. "Always do credit to yourselves, your country and your Empire, and make the best use of your capacities. -What is needed in every boy and girl is an observant eye, an inquiring mind and full utilisation of your limits, especially your hands, and wltli it all a determination to be thorough and accurate in all you do." Value of Observation. Capacity for observation led to an inquiring mind, continued Lord Bledisloe, who mentioned Sir Isaac Newton's keen observation, .which made him the greatest scientist the Empire had produced. He was delighted to hear the intelligent answers which had been given to some of the questions he had asked around the classrooms. The children should never be afraid to ask questions if they wanted to acquire knowledge, he said. His Excellency said that years ago, when his three children were very young, he realised that they were not very observant. He told them to go outside for three minutes, then go inside and draw as much of the house as they could remember. That was a lesson in observation. To-day his youngest eon, who was then only six, and was now less than 30, was manager of one of the biggest factories in the West of England. "Develop a joy in your work and a joy in the art of creating," concluded _ his Excellency. "Maintain your capacities and your lives will be happy and your country enriched. I wish you all happiness and success in your lives, and I hope you will realise above all that your country wants you." On the request of Lady Bledisloe the children are to be given a holiday in honour of their Excellencies' visit.