ENGINEERS’ CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22890, 23 February 1938, Page 1

ENGINEERS’ CONFERENCE

g INSTITUTION IN SESSION MR S. I. CROOKS ELECTED PRESIDENT Mr S. Irwin Crookes, M.l.Chem.E. (Wellington), was elected president of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers at the annual conference, which was continued at the University yesterday afternoon and evening with the consideration of further reports of committees and the presentation of papers by Mr B. E. Scoular, assistant city engineer at Dunedin, who discussed the Dunedin water supply, and by Mr C. N. Gray, engineer to, the Waitemata Electric Power Board, who dealt with Hie safe lighting of main highways. OFFICE-BEARERS. , The office-bearers for the ensuing year were elected as follow: —President, Mr S. Irwin Crookes (Auckland); vicepresident, Mr E. Hitchcock (Christchurch) ; council—Messrs A. B. Galbraith (Christchurch), D. Holderness (Auckland), L. B. Hutton (Wellington), F. T. M. Kissell (Wellington), W. L., Newnham (Wellington), M. Cable (Wellington), P. M. Corkhill (Invercargill), P. E. de Guerrier (Auckland) j J. G. Lancaster (Wellington), H. vickerman, and J. M‘G. Wilkie (ex officio) ; honorary treasurer, Mr James Marchbanks; honorary secretary, Mr F. W. Furkert; secretary, Mr H. L. Cole; auditors—Messrs Watkins, Hull, Wheeler, and Johnston (Wellington). The office-bearers of the Benevolent Association were elected as follow : Chairman, of committee, Mr S. Irwin Crookes; vice-chairman, Mr A. J. Baker; honorary treasurer, Mr J. Marchbanks; honorary secretary, Mr F. W. Furkert; representatives of council, Messrs M. Cable and F. J. Williams; North Island representatives, Messrs H. Gyles Turner and G. T. Murray; South Island representatives, Messrs F. W. Freeman and P. M. Corkhill ; auditors—Messrs Watkins, Hull, Wheeler, and Johnston.; EROSION COMMITTEE, On behalf of the Erosion Committee, Mr Lancaster said that it had no formal report to present. It was felt by members of the committee that the institution could make little progress in this work on its own. It had discussed the problem with Dr Marsden, of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Mr Lancaster quoted a letter from him. in which it was stated that it was doubtful if it was possible to embark op a large-scale inyestiga'afc .4Ye‘•time; The letter ' i;u..-' ht,z Jjltogei.icr discouraging, however, ho skid; The position was that the department could not undertake any extensive investigation without a special grant, and Dr Marsden would have to justify such a grant by proving the seriousness of the problem. There was the opportunity for co-opera-tion. between the institution and officers of the department, and it was hoped that that association would build up_ a supply of extremely valuable local information. The Chairman and Mr Lancaster expressed appreciation of the valuable work in this respect of local branches, and urged that they should continue investigations. Probably they_ would be asked to extend their activities., EDUCATION COMMITTEE. Mr H. F. Toogood reported that the Educational Committee had at last met the university authorities in Wellington and ..discussed the problem of engineering education in general. The committee had fairly steadfast ideas, and it was made clear at the beginning of the discussion by Professor Hunter that the University of New Zealand welcomed the co-operation and assistance of the institution. Mr Toogood spoke at some length on the details of the discussion. The committee had handed its report over to the Board of Studies and had not yet received a reply. He could say, however, that its proposals were nob being taken up very actively. “ The greatest improvement in educa;tion_ will probably come from outside the university,” he said, “ and not from within the university. I say that definitely as far as engineering is concerned. It seems to me that we have reached a deadlock, and that _ we are not going to get any further with the Unlversiy of New Zealand. That means that our work of the past four years has gone for nothing unless we are prepared to take up a very active campaign.” Professor J. E. L. Cull deplored the note of pessimism in Mr Toogood’s speech. He thought it unwarranted. A great deal of good had been done by the institution through this committee, and already some of its proposals had been put into effect. He could appreciate the difficulties faced by the university authorities, he said. If it were agreed to provide for the subjects advocated by the committee, there would be a still heavier burden placed on the

men who were teaching those subjects in three of the universities. Those menJ were already very busy, and the addi-4 tional load on the existing w®» probably the reason for the attitud* that had been interpreted by Mr Too* good as a rebuff. ■■ ■ After some discussion, in which’, speakers commended the work done by the committee, it was decided to re-*| ceive the 'report and invite -written; opinions from members. -. RURAL ROADS COMMITTEE. The report of the Hural Roads Committee was presented by Mr Toogood,.' who said that the basic principle of i the committee’s investigations had, been/! to make rural roads economic proposi-,' tions. He said that the value of sealed 1 ! roads in New Zealand had been proved.. The aim was to give as full value as ■ possible to motorists for their contri-| butions. He drew attention .to the in-, crease in traffic during the past three’ or four years, and noted that - the biggest increase was in districts that] had been provided with - good sealedroads. The report was , discussed and adopted. PAPERS READ AND DISCUSSED.] The latter half of the afternoon and 1 ; the evening were devoted to the read-ii ing of papers and discussions. _ Mr 8.-| E. Secular, assistant city engineer at, Dunedin, discussed the Dunedin water,, supply under the heading ‘The Aug-) mentation of Supply_ and Improvement; of Distribution,’ setting forjth the main't features of the systems of supply and; of distribution of water of Dunedin// and its suburban boroughSj and giving,) a description of the investigations and l ; design for augmentation of supply. The interconnection of supply ana trunfc main and distribution development con-1 sequent upon the bringing in of the augmenting supply were dealt with.. ! Mr Scoular was called upon to answer, a number of questions and criticisms,and was thanked by acclamation, and congratulated on his-paper. The evening paper, under the title ‘ Fundamental Principles in the Safe Lighting of Main Highways,’ was presented by Mr C. N. Gray, engineer to the Waitemata Electric Power Board, ) Auckland. He first emphasised the wide difference between street lighting ’ and highway lighting, and proceeded to discuss in detail the development of lighting methods and their place in modern safe traffic _ facilities. . The address was _ illustrated by, graphs and lantern slides, and he demonstrated the latest types of lamps. - He also provoked considerable dis-; cussion, and was thanked and congratulated.