N.Z. ENGINEERS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10130, 1 September 1898, Page 3

N.Z. ENGINEERS.

[By Telegraph.] (from otjr special correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 31. Referring recently to New Zealand trained engineers, Air Alorrison, M.H.R., said there were not twenty-five engineers trained in the colony who could hold their own in the English shops. There was considerable indignation threughout the colony at this statement, and the Industrial Associations have been considering it with the result that the following letter has been sent to Mr Alorrison by All S. Brown, President of the Industrial Corporations of New Zealand: — "Air A. Alorrison, AI.H.R. Sii, —ln the House of Assembly, in the debate on the Alastei and Apprentices Bill, you are reported to have said as follows: —' There were not twenty-five boys who learned their trade as engineers in New Zealand who could hold their own in an English shop.' -vs. you were so reported in both morning and evening papers, I assume that the report is correct I have letters from some of the engineers of Christchurch and Wellington. Their opinion of youi statement will be apparent if 1 give you some extracts. Aiessrs Scott Bros, write: —'Mr Morrison's speech on the Master and Apprentices Bill has been the subject of very severe criticism here. No one has any hesitation in characterising hit remarks on the New Zealand trainee! engineers as absolutely false. The men resent this fai more keenly than the employers. He has goiu out ot his way to grossly malign a body of the most worthy and intelligent men ever reared in any British dependency.' Their letter includes a list of some twelve engineers holding high positions outside of the colony, besides numbers within the colony. Messrs Anderson, P. and D. Duncan, Booth and Alacdonald, Andrews and Beaven, and Luke and Sons, all forward lists of young colonial engineers who are holding high positions in the engineering world. Aiessrs Luke and Sons characterise youi statement as a gross Libel on the young men of New Zealand, and indirectly on the whole colony. Air Cable says:—T desire to give that statement an unqualified denial. I have before mc a list of boys who have served their time at tho Lion Foundry, and who are at present occupying most responsible and lucrative positions in the engineering and mechanical world. Some have followed the sea, and have attained the liighest positions that can be reached in that branch. Other are engaged in the colony, the Old Country, and America; and no matter what country they are in, t/hey command the highest wages. I know as a fact that our boys have not the slightest difficulty in obtaining employment in the workshops of Great Britain at the maximum rates of pay on account of their general knowledge of the various branches of the. trade.' Air Cable further states that his experience is that the majority of English engineers who come out are no match for the colonials. Other engineers concur in expressing the same opinion, and as they trained the boys they should know. Engineering is a trade the speciality of which is that merit alone can give success, and the engineers of New Zealand will not allow the boys they trained to be vilified withjout the strongest protest — boys who without any influence, and aided solely by their own good right arm and the training they received, are worthily upholding the honour of New Zealand, in all parts of the globe, and are proud of their old shops in New Zealand where they received their training. I hope I have said sufficient to show you that you have done a great injustice, and I ask you to withdraw the statement in the same public manner in tne New Zealand House of Assembly in which you made it, and also ask you to be good enough to intimate, to mc that you will take a very early opportunity of doing so.—(Signed), Samuel Brown, President Industrial Corporation of New Zealand."