ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10863, 12 January 1901, Page 6

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.

The steps taken by the Governors of Canterbury College and Professor Scott to bring the School of Engineering and Technical Science up to date in the maijter of instruction in applied electricity, are in accord with the spirit of the times. Electricity as a motive power is gradually, and in some cases rapidly, superseding the old methods, and this colony already lags too far behind in its utilisation. In connection with his trip to Europe in 1899, Professor Scott stated that in not one of the twenty Universities, Engineering Colleges, and Technical Schools which he visited, was the subject of electrical

engineering not given special prominence. In fact, it cannot be omitted from a modern system of engineering instruction, and it is satisfactory to find that in the Canterbury College, at least, this is now recognised. So' far as apparatus is concerned, the College seems to have made an excellent beginning, and there is good promise of the opportunity for instruction afforded being taken full advantage of by students. The question of the erection of additional buildings, however, seems to be likely to cause some trouble to the College Governors, and this appears to us to be one of the cases in which clause 18 of tlie Manual and Technical Instruction Act of last session might be applied. Subsection two of this clause empowers the Government to "make grants in aid "of the erection, acquisition or equipment "of buildings for classes under this Act, " and for the purchase and supply of apparatus, material and appliances for such " classes." This School of Engineering is almost as much a colonial as a local institution, and the training it gives is not to be obtained in any other teaching establishment in the colony. With more money available for appliances the results could be made even better, and its claims should be urged on the notice of the Government without delay. Canterbury College is specially included in the list of University Colleges which are to benefit by the Manual

and Technical Instruction Act, and the present seems an excellent opportunity for I the Government to show in a practical Lanner, that they were thoroughly in JLrnest in their professed, desire to assist •Xllege stents as well as the children- a< tfie primary schools. It should be bone c \ mind also that the Engineering depa-i [j Ufc of the College has proved of c lerable value as a research labora^ts ejection with materials and o%q country forwarded for testefirivate kids. Both the Government/ and the in<&idvials have benefited b/ty o( Jissiststudnts, who have the op/£ also teeure ing it the experiment?ae practical maa shse of advantag/- Jt ' be a stractbn afforded/^ the new »?pw»tue serious mista&e/I nc l ee( l. endeavoui in cranped a bu iWi«S which will should be/^ c requiremeDts of the pre , not onb^° w !llso * or » ecessa fy expansent,/ c near fufclu, «-