TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10991, 14 June 1901, Page 3

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

•MEETING OF THE INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION SUB-COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the sub-committee appointed by the Industrial Association in connection with the proposed scheme of a Technical School and Museum, was held last night. Mr McDougall, the. President, occupied the chair.

The. Chairman said the sub-committee had been appointed under <a resolution of the Committee of the Association to so into the question and bring up a report. He then read from the New Zealand Year Book a brief resume of the Act. Under the Act subsidies had been paid to various Technical Schools. He would point out, however, that a fairly large sum would be required to pay the rent of a building in which to establish a Technical School and Museum.

Mr Mmson said that technical education was so inseparably connected with the work of tha Association, tthat be could hardly conceive anything in which it would be better or more profitably empCoyed than establishing schools to carry out the work. He thought that technical education, as applied to the industries, was the line upon wbioh the Association should take up the work. A meeting of a sub-committee was to be •held to consider* the question of getting .papers read before the. Association, and he considered they should approach Mr Booth, and another gentleman engaged in industrial pursuits, to read a paper each on the subject. If this were done, he 'himself, as one who was not engaged in industrial pursuits, would read a third. Then the discussion which would ensue on the reading of the papers would resuCt in some ideas being evolved which would be of benefit to the Association.

The Chairman said that already there were forty or fifty Technical Schools in the colony. The only difficulty in tiheir way would be the question of funds to start the scheme.

Mr ilinson thought that if the members c& the Association were unanimously of opiniop that a couple or three uundred pounds should be spent in carrying out a certain course which would be for the benefit of the industries of the district, there would be no diffioutty in getting the money. Mr J. C. Wilkin considered that the starting of a Museum would be the beet thing to commence with. They might collect specimens of all the industries in the colony, and once their Museum was built tip, they might be able to get lectures on technical subjects. Mr Witkin pointed out that what he proposed would not be expensive for a start, as manufacturers would onty be too glad to send specimens of their manufactures. The cost of a room, seemed to him to be the main factor in the scheme,. v Mr Howland said the Association some years ago had got the Government to place a sum on the Supplementary Estimates in aid of the Museum. He understood when they talked about an Industrial Hall, it meant that they would establish a permanent exhibition, the exhibitors paying for space, and being allowed to sell their exhibits, on the condition that they were replaced. Then he would have liked to have seen some of their members engaged in industrial pursuits giving lectures on technical subjects connected with the various industries. ■•■....

Mr Minson pointed) out that the legislation which had < oeen enacted was inspired by the ideas of the Industrial Associations and those engaged in industries. Therefore, he took it that associations such as theirs were ' the proper bodies to instruct the Government and the Legislature on this point. He wanted the Association to recognise that a very great change had come over the industries- of the colony, and in the technical education of their workmen lay the strongest advantage to enable them to compete with other countries in their manufacture*. The heads of the firms who ..were members of that association were the people' who should recognise their responsibilities, and take advantage of the position. Mr Wilkin said what he was advocating was the taking of the initial step of starting a Museum. They umst walk before they ran, and it would be far easier to get the higher branches of technical education if they had the nucleus of a museum.

'Mr Minson mentioned that a movement was on foot in the Education Department for the establishment of Technical School centres; one would be in Gnrietchuroh, one in Lyttelton, one at Ashburton, and one at Leeston, and others were also to be established. What <he thought they should do was to see how they could practically bring these school centres into work with a scheme for special industrial technical education.

Mr Sey thought that the School of Art might be utilised. In connection with the painting trade Mr Elliott and himself had succeeded in establishing a technical class which was doing most excellent work. As to the expense, the students' fees paid the cost. Could not all the classes necessary be domiciled at the School of Art by extending its work as regarded the technical classes dealing with industries?'

After further discussion, it was decided, on the motion oi Mr Minson, that Messrs Elliott, S. Hurst-Seager, and Geo. Hart should be added to the committee.

Mr Hart thought Mr iSey's suggestion was I a practical one, upon which the subcommittee might report. He also suggested that they should approach the Government with a request for the enlargement of the scope of the classes in the School of Art to include all kinde of technical industrial instruction. Of course, they as an association would have to show their practical feeling in the matter by contributing the cost of the instructors. The best way would be to deal with the subject from the standpoint suggested by Mr tiey at the next meeting of the sub-com-mittee, and then, if adopted, go to the general committee with a short report on those lines.

It was agreed to adopt the suggestion of Mr Hart, and the meeting adjourned till called together by the president.