LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 179, 30 July 1936, Page 8

LEVEL CROSSINGS.

ENGINEERS' PART.

SCARCITY OF TRAINED MEN. REPLY TO PROFESSOR LAMB, An allegation that Professor S. E. Lamb's recent statement that there is a shortage of qualified and assistant engineers throughout the country, and that the university schools arc not turning out as many engineers and surveyors as could be employed in New Zealand, is misleading, in that it is not. a complete recital of the facts, is made by the secretary of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors, Mr. H. Esmond Greig.

"It is well that parents should be advised of the position, as my council is of opinion that Professor Lamb's statement needs amplification," said Mr. Greig. "In the first place it must be pointed out that the professions referred to are most particularly concerned with development, and that when development ceases' or slows down, employment ceases or becomes increasingly difficult to secure. For tlift reason, in very many cases, assistant engineers and surveyors during the past four years, after securing their qualifications, found their only avenue of employment in relief schemes, either as overseers, or in less fortunate cases, among the rank and file. In other eases again, they have jettisoned the whole of their training and sought an outlet for their abilities in a totally different avocation.

"The Government's development policy, recently inaugurated, must be viewed in proper perspective. Even the most ardent supporter of the present policy, of development must admit that the rate of progress envisaged by. the Government cannot be continued for more than a very few years; and as it takes a period of at least four years to train a person for either of these professions, the need for caution in the matter is obvious. Just as it takes a lot of steam to start a stationary engine, so does it require a lot of technical assistance to put into being a comprehensive public works policy. That is why there is a shortage at present of young trained surveyors and engineers, but parents ai e advised to make full investigation (including rates of pay) before em harkin" their boys 011 a career which has proved a blind alley to so many dui ing the past few years. Ample Work. One further argument could be obtained by a perusal of the advertisements in the local papers, where junior engineers were assessed (notwithstanding all their training and degrees) as be'ing worth only the weekly wage granted to the lowest paid worker 111 the Public Works Department. A further point to lii considered was that the present shortage was only in the one class —the recently qualified man. r J hat was quite a natural corollary of the conditions of the past few years, combined with the sudden burst of energy displayed in the development of major engineering projects. There was no real lack of skilled men for the work with which the Hon. the Minister of Railways was concerned, the elimination of dangerous railway crossings. Every such crossing in New Zealand could be surveyed and plans thereof prepared within a few weeks at most, if the matter was entrusted to those persons or firms who we„ce normally professionally engaged in such work as part of their practice. "My council does not pretend for one moment that there is not ample work to be done in this country both 011 the surveying and engineering sides, provided the money is available," said Mr. Greig. "However, it feels that while fully trained men are still engaged upon relief work (as some are) that some other explanation than shortage of skilled men can be given for the delay in proceeding with urgent work. Training and Experience, "Professor Lamb's statement is therefore misleading, as it is obviously not a complete recital of the facts. Before such a statement can be accepted as evidence of the position it is necessary to know, first of all, the number of experienced men engaged in private practice who have much of their time available for work of this type, and, secondly, how many qualified men are available who are at present holding wholly subordinate positions, or engaged in some makeshift occupation where their training and experience gained at such cost serve no useful purpose."