"THERE'S BOOM AT THE TOP."

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 2, 17 April 1880, Page 2 (Supplement)

"THERE'S BOOM AT THE TOP."

The young man, ambitious to succeed in any line of business, should always bear this in mind. There are those in plenty of mediocre ability, superficial acquirements, and inadequate preparation, but the thoroughly trained and competent are scarce. The standard of modern professional requirements has been greatly elevated by ihe advances which the world has made within a few years past and still higher demands are constantly being made. The demand for men who have a complete knowledge of every depirfcmenfc of their business has always been felt. The exteat of that knowledge 'widens every year, as improved methods and facilities are introduced. The ship captain, for instance, who a few years ago, needed only to be acquainted with centuries — old theories of navigation, with what more recent geographical explorations had added toere'o, now finds himself, in this age of steam, working under totally different conditions. What he formerly knew is equally necessary now, but the successful management of a ship propelled by steam, calls for an entirely new set of ideas and experiences, and the captain who would at present be a thorough master'in his profession, should not only know how to run a steam engine, but be a practical hydraulic engineer, with a good knowledge also of pneumatics and electricity, in order to avail'himself of all the advantages which' recent discoveries and inventions have placed at the disposal of navigators, whereby more efficient work may be done, and a higher degree of safety attained. There are captains in plenty who are sailing masters only, but in proportion as they are also competent in these other depaitments, whereby ftiey become in fact independent of their subordinates, do they attain the higher positions and greater responsibilities of their profession. And what is true in this instance may be said of nearly every branch of business, as we find a like necessity for greater amplitude and thoroughness of preparation in all lines of professional activity. The discoveries in chemiotry within a few years past have been of far reaching importance, and many of them have been such that a first class doctor cannot remain ignorant of the advances made and retain his position in the front rank of his profession. With lawyers, also, a greater familiarity i 3 expected with all departments of modern science, so that) mauy members of the bar at the present day may be really classed as experts in the technicalities ot important industries. And with these demands for a higher standard of preparation the facilities for its attainment have been so multiplied that they are easily within the reach of all who have the disposition and the energy to avail themselves of the opportunities offered. Oao peculiarity in the conduct of our leading industries, however, has operated rather to hinder the attainment of this higher atandard of excellence among workmen in many cases. The "division of labour" now carried out in Buch detail in most branches of business has given us great numbers of workmen who know, only a small portion of a trade, and, unless the mechanic be ambitious to riae in his avocation, he becomes little better than a machine. Blacksmiths, machinists, carpenters, masons, painter*, shoemakerß, etc., are now divided into separate classea of workmen who are masters only of some specialty in their trade, rather than the whole trade, and but seldom endeavour to reach a practical knowledge of all the other departments cf their own business. To illustrate from ■ what is Certainly one of the ieasb complicated of our trades,' in a modern shoe factory we find, besides the cutters, fitters, and makers of the nppTß, taws-ore difF«ren&-eoto»-<»f-n»oia-employed for lasting, heeling, trimming, burnishing, finishing, etc., the finished boot or shoe in most cases being the work of six to ten hands, each of whom knows only how to do hiß particular part. This division of labour undoubtedly gives the beat results in i the aggregate for the community, but the ease with which workmen attain proficiency in on* small item of a whole trade undoubtedly tends to check that ambition to excel which has thus'' far been the most marked characteristic of mechanics.

•' I have taken all knowledge to be my i province," wrote Lord Bacon, in 1592, when he was only thirty-one years of age. The expression often occurs to us when we consider what is now expected from firstclass mechanics aa well as from professional men. Bacon excelled all other men of his. day ia a "knowledge of the mutual relations of all departments of knowledge," and his philosophy, more than that of anyone else of his time, taught " the art of inventing arts/ Taking his meaning in this. sense, there are many to-day who might fitly, say what Bacon said of himself. But this is pre-eminently a practical age, and, while it shows the best possible development of the Baconian philosophy, it requires, of all who would stand at the head in any department of the world's activity, an amount of practical knowledge of which he had only a general, conception. The multitudes which now crowd upon each other in the competitions of life are 'of those who do not meet the call for that better oulture and more complete preparation of which, society can , never have enough, and which , the diversified industries and great enterprises of modern times will always find ample employment for. " There is always room at the top," said Daniel Webster, in reply to the, inquiry of a young lawyer as to the chances of success in his profession, and only those who pursue their avocations, of whatever nature, with this in mind, are certain to succeed.