TECHNICAL CLASSES AT WORK.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11725, 28 October 1903, Page 5

TECHNICAL CLASSES AT WORK.

ii. • (IIY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) PLUMBING. Only a class of girls at repoussee work or carving could make more, noise than the thirty men and boys whom Mr 0- Gy ton is instructing in plumbing. The reader can imagine to himself the effect of thirty pupils, all of whom are taking mi enthusiasiic interest, in their work, using their wooden mallets to beat thick pieces of sheet lead ’into the requisite shape for different angles and ridges of a roof. This is the first- work of the class, the making of fullsize lead work for roofs. Later they will go on to sanitary plumbing. There ate three or four of the pupils who are not in the. trade, and have never touched lead work before. This necessarily places them at a disadvantage with their fellows, and on that- account the class is divided into three pairs, the juniors starting at- the lower work. Others are busy with pipes, joint-wiping, and preparing them to lx* us<*d in drainage, rooting, etc. It will be some few nights yet before Mr Gytou takes up the theory of 1 lie work. The idea is first of all to teach the pupils the rudiments of handling tools and working lead, afterwards showing them how their skill is to be applied to larger jobs. By the end of the quarter all should have a fair knowledge of lead work, and tho class-room will probably then be ornamented with specimens of the work. CARPENTRY.

This class has attracted more pupils than any other. There are. 35 in the elementary division, and these leave been divided into two classes. The advanced division has thirteen pupils, making a total of 48. The instruction nights a.re Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The work-room has accommodation for 24 workers, who are provided for at 12 separate benches. The ages of the pupils range from 15 to 50 years. Each lesson covers two hours, and during that time the instructor has his hands full in putting the men through tlieir facings. Some are clerks and men of other occupations, but most are in the trade, and are taking advantage, of these classes to improve themselves in work which their daily occupation does not- always .bring to them. An hour of the lesson is devoted to individual practical work, during which each member receives individual attention. The other hour is taken up with theory and demonstration. The scope of the practical work embraces, besides the proper use of tools, door and sash-making and general joinery and staircasing. The care and rise of tools is, of course, most- important to beginners. As for the practical construction, the instructor hopes this term to school his class into the difficult feat of making a staircase. In theory and demonstration the American system of the application of geometry is followed, and this is likely to be of great Value to those who are already in the trade and hope to become contractors for themselves. The class is told how to set out a roof on the ground, and to do all t-he cutting and fitting of the timbers before sending them up to be put together. This is accomplished by geometrical plans. The pupils ore not actually taught drawing—for that they would have to go to tho drawing school — but they are shown how to measure up timber, brick and stone work and plastering, slating and painting, so as to enable them to give out such work to artisans if neoessary. The elementary classes meantime are practising their infant- craft, on sharpening and putting together tools, making oilstone covers, drawing boards, etc. The instructor is Mr J. C. Cameron, foreman to the City Council, He bears testimony to the interest, the committee has taken in the classes in providing everything necessary for the proper instruction of the pupils. It only requires a. continuance of the enthusiasm the pupils are now showing to ensure their making the best- of the classes. In the course of two years a man who is following the trade should be able to go out- as a good general hand.

IRON AND BRASS MOULDING is carried on in the evenings at Messrs Anderson*, Limited, the Canterbury Foundry. The pupils are, naturally, all in the trade, and they are,taking advantage of the classes to perfect their knowledge of a kind of work with which they do not often come into contact. Mr H. Willis, the shop foreman, is the instructor. $ He has six pupils, senior and junior. The theory and practice of iron and brass moulding are taught In all their branches, including moulding by the green sand, dry sand, and loam processes, and all sorts of core making. The juniors are busy turning out such small articles as wheels, range work, ornamental pickets, and verandah brackets. The boys make the moulds under supervision, from patterns supplied by the firm. The second class contains boys who have been three or fotir years at the trade. They are engaged on a higher class of work, such as tooth wheels, single and double-capped pulleys, learning the method of deepening and strengthening, and in general jobbing work up to 3cwt. The highest class is instructed in the manufacture of general engineering casts. They have just completed a loam core for a ladder pulley for a dredge, liesides this, the classes get full instruction as to the mixing of alloys for different qualities of brass. About four quarters at the classes would be necessary to make a man of practical use ia a moulding shop. Some of. the pupils are already journeymen out of their time, but they still ponsidar it worth whiie attending the class. WOOL-SORTING. This is a class that has been carried out successfully at Dunedin, and it is Treing patronised pretty extensively in Christchurch. There is so much business in wool in this- province, that the class is one which appeals to a wide community. Amongst the eighteen who attend are several sheepowners, who, being in a small way, find it desirable to be able to do their own classing. The others are clerks in wool auctioneers’ offices and young men connected with the fellmnngcring and woolscouring trades. The classes are held at Hill's Tannery, Woolston. and are conducted by Mr B. J. Marquet, who has had a long experience of the business. Besides learning the different, sorts of wool, the pupils are taught how to class wool in the shearing sheds for the market, and how to sort in the mill for the "batches.” 'The extent of this instruction can be gauged from the fact that in the former department (done there are about thirty different classes of wool to be learned. This is the.fii;fit, quarter of the wool-sorting classes. It ..will,. take some years' experience to maketa.man a thoroughly competent classer or sorter.