ENGINEERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 74, 24 September 1912, Page 8

ENGINEERS

POINTS SUBMITTED TO THE MINISTER A deputation from the Marine Engineers' Institute and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers waited on the Minister for Marine (Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) with regard to various matters affecting the profession, most of which had been brought before the Minister's predecessor in office (Mr. G. Laurenson). An additional point was made that examinations should be held more frequently in Wellington. The Minister said the Department was prepared to hold the examinations every two months, instead of every four months as at present. The deputation pointed out that the ! infrequency of the examinations entailed a considerable amount of expense on those who desired to go up for examination. The deputation also objected to I time occupied in an office being counted as time which would qualify for a cerItificate. fhe ( Minister said he thought the deputation under a misapprehension , I on that point. ! In regard to technical schools, the deputation said the Shipping Act provided that a portion of a lad's time \ spent there would" be counted, but there was nothing in that Act to prevent the time in the schools and the shop being counted concurrently. The Hon. J. A. Millar had agreed to amend the Act so as to remedy that defect, but that had not been done. The deputation also urged that some of the smaller boats—1 running out of Napier, for instance — required more supervision. The officers and engineers had to eat and sleep in the same place, and the cargo was stowed in an unsafe manner. The names of the boats concerned would be supplied to the department. The Minister said if that was done he would have enquiry made. The department would offer no objection, he added._ to amending the Act so as to make it perfectly clear that the technical school course of two years and the shop service of three years should not run concurrently. The deputation also expressed the hope that if a Marine Board of .Advice was set up the claims of the engineers to representation would be considered. The Minuter said he would have enquiries made about the vessels nailing out of Napier that had been referred to. The Department had feceived a com* plaint on the subject quite recently. The other matters brought before him would be considered. A member of the deputation urged that the Department waa not getting the best class of men on account of tho small salaries offered. The Minister eaid he found there were quite a number of people who believed in increased remuneration j the opinion was prevalent all through the Department*. "W» ahall," he added, "try to do the best w& can for them gradually, but to put them all where they think they ought to be would be a national calamity."