PLUMBING EXAMINATIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 19004, 28 July 1925, Page 6

PLUMBING EXAMINATIONS.

TO THE EDITOE. Sir,—l notice in your reply to my letter of the 20th inst. you say that the examiners do not know who tho candidates arc. I hope not. Yon also state that, unfortunately, many of the candidates do not attend the technical classes. 1 feel quite safe in stating that over 90 per cent, of them have attended the classes, and have been discouraged with repeated failures at the Plumbers’ Board examinations. Yon state that the whole of the candidates cannot qualify for registration, as some sit only for portion of the examination. The examination is in two parts—a written examination and a practical tost of workmanship. There were quite a number of candidates who had passed one part at previous examinations, and who presented themselves :tt the recent examination, with what result? I would like to point out the crude methods under which the practical part of the examination is carried out. Candidates are required to bend pipes cold (no heat is allowed), and to wipe branch joints in absurd positions. True, the Plumbers’ Board supplies plumbing irons, but they .are obsolete. Where will you see a plumbing iron used in commercial plumbing? Candidates are not allowed to use tho pipe fixings that are used in the technical classes; in fact, they are removed from the benches. The board provides for each candidate two pieces of 4in by 2in Din long, two pieces of Sin x lin 2ft long, some string, and 2in nails. Candidates have to Tix their pipes with the wood mentioned above—actually to tie the pipes together, and tie them down with bits of string. J can imagine what would happen if a plumber started to do a piece of pipe bending and joint wiping under tho above conditions in a plumbing shop. He would he very soon told to bring liimsclf up to date and to use modern tools. Present-day conditions will not allow of obsolete methods. This is the age of progress, when everyone is looking for the most advanced methods of carrying out work, but it is not the policy of the Plumbers’ Board.—l am, etc., Pb. July 27.