HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 517, 26 May 1909, Page 4

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

(rnou qcr bfecul hepomeb.) . — ~ *~— KAILWAY CASUALS DISMISSED. . Saturday of last week was a gloomy day for somo of the employees of Petone Railway Workshops. A score of casuals received notice that, in a week's time, their servcies would ho dispensed /with. About eighteen months ago, a largo number of men were engaged casually in all departments to undertake the building of rolling-stock required on the Main Trunk line. A batch of casuals was paid off in November, and now that the extra work has been put through, the staff is undergoing a reduction, numerically. In engaging these; casuals, the Department often promised employment for a' specified time, up to six months, and, somo of the men taken on originally for threo months have had close on two years' work. Tho dismissals includo married men with families, who find it a difficult matter to more from ono place to another, and'at present there is little prospect 'of employment. in Petono Borough, where the Mayor daily receives applications from unemployed tradesmen. .'•■'. PETONE, TECHNICAL SCHOOL. ; •SOME INTERESTING EEITAEKS ON ART. , A, meeting of the Petone Technical Board was held last evening, there being present the chairraair(Kev. A. Thomson), and Messrs.-Duncan; Lodder, Lee, Coles, Finlay, and Castle (secretary). ' .Tho. secretary of the Education Board notified that the Wellington Meat Export Company, having again become a contributor to the boards fund, was now entitled to one representative;, also, that the board's woodwork instructor reported that tho half-dozen' old benches in the woodwork room should be replaced. It was resolved, on tho motion of Mr. it. Lee, ; to make formal application for six bunches, in addition to tho six already ordered. The .director submitted a report upon the progress of.classes for the past quarter.. The, three continuation classes, with a roll of over 60, and the shorthand class, with over 207-were very "successfully^filled," and financially sound. Tho practical plumbing class, with over 20 enrolled, was also-well filled, as also was tho dresscutting' class, now held on: Wednesday for the, benefit of free place pupils. The classes for machine drawing, electricity, carpentry, ' architecture, and signwriting all disolosed roll numbers less than ten, but promised development, though .they had not .yet reached-the paying point. The art class was unsatisfactory, m point of numbers. As most of tho pupils attended on Saturday afternoon he thought that it*would bo advisable to try the experiment of holding the class on that day only. He also suggested that, in the event of the class being continued, ; tho board should offer drawing scholarships to promising pupils, arid to coming entrants to. the teaohing profession, these scholarships to;bo distributed to pupils from the Hutt Valley, schools who promise regular attendance. .■ The chairman favoured an effort being made' to_ resuscitate, the art class. The secretary, pointed out that the board had repeatedly affirmed do anything to encourage art it would be a very financial ; basis."< Tho position was that they were paying fifteen guineas a quarter for the instruction, of a singlo pupil.. \ Mr, Lee thought that it was worth a. sacrifice to try to preserve the class. Art was at a very low ebb in Wellington,at the present time, the technical school in the'city being run very much on mechanical lines. If the board could anything to',; encourage art it would bo a very fine thing. Art was no narrow . subject—it entered into.everything. ' If education in the Dominion wanted anything at tho present moment, it was on the artistic. side.. Sport was runninc riot. I ,' Mr. Finlay. "Go down to the gymnasium tonight, and you. will.see.the ball being'handled in an artistic manner." •;•'.' '■■■■■'■'■■-...'■ : Mr. Lee: "Art in tho gymnasium.is simply skill. 'I am speaking of the artistic mind—of art as applied principally 1 to an appreciation' of colour and beauty.", No. man, continued Mr. Lee, could bo called 'educated/who had no taste for a'picture, for example. He had lately scon some beantiful : designs worked into soine Petono rugs.; Tbore.was plenty of scopethere for art, '; It was eventually decided tb.give effect to the director's recommendation : regarding : tho art olaS9 and the offering of scholarships, and to notify the instructor of: a pro rata reduction of his salary. ... ...,-:.:.: "■;':.; { : .jottings.: "'J-j ?:,;■!:■;;■' • A letter: from the Lower Hutt Borough Coun. • cil regarding. the' supply'''of'.gas will-be dis. cussed by the Petono authorities to-night. II deals with a resolution.of the Hutt Counoil tc accept'.- the 'terms offered .for. "the .supply o\ gas to 'the ; borough,- and. thei.next step.is.tc draw ;'up an agreement.;., The committee. of Pctone Junior Club hav< arranged for a Ladies' Evening to be held oi '■ :Friflav. A progressive euchre tournament wil occupy, the principal-part of tho evening. ;'. • ■ ; In; response to a request, from .the Peton< . Fire Brigade. and the Gear Company's corps • Dr.. Eoss has agreed to give: a series, of lee tures on a,mbulance work, etc., for the benefi ,' of the local firemen, .. . ..',