MR. W. I. ROBINSON'S TECHNICAL CLASSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10424, 23 April 1897, Page 3

MR. W. I. ROBINSON'S TECHNICAL CLASSES.

ANNUAL EXHIBITION. The third exhibition held yesterday after, noon in Wellesley-streeb School marks the 14th year of the clueee held by Mr. W. I.

Robinson in technical and engineering subjects. Thwe classes are now well known and recognised by the Gorernmenb at

thoroughly efficient classes. Branches hare been established at Onehunga, Remuera, and Ponsonby. The classes hare been

joined to South Kensington and the success of the pupils at the last examination has given them a etroug impulse in the direction of following up their studies. Theae English certificates hare a world-wide reputation and all friends of education and progress should give these classe* their support. The class courses now cover everything relating to technical drawing, applied mechanics, machine and building construction, steam and the steam engine, and mechanical engineering, The following were the exhibits on the walls of the building :—

Wellesley-street Public School.—Miss J. Evans: Four sheets of perspective, E. Garrett: Spring safety-valve, double acting pump, mitre gearing, screw-cutting lathe, ana sheet of smaller details. G. Slade: Hydraulic pump valve case, eccentric aheave, and straps. Wm. Marshall: Sections and delations of crank shaft bearing. C. Yeoland: Section of steam cylinder and mitre wheels. J. Brown: Sheet of machine details. Wm. Texeira : Radial drilling machine fixed to wall and two sheets of details. J. M. Malcolm: Compound engine, radial drill, and two sheets of details. J. Kidd: Sheet of details. F. Slide : Treble geared lathe v screw-down stop-valve, bevel gearing, and one sheet of details. A. Campbell : Sections of steam cylinder. Yv. Bailey: Three ship drawings and section of yacht, J. Lockie: Stop valve, cylinder sections, and a sheet of details. McLeod: Radial drilling machine and steam cylinder sections. C. W. Murdock: Four sheets of engine and machine details. R. Rudderford: Radial drilling maohine. Lind: Sheet of details, J. B. Whyte: Sheet of engine details. A. Xavlor: Steel marine boiler, details of vertical engine and pump,"mitre and bevel gearing. W.J. Bowel: Safety valve, eccentric connecting rod and plunger pump. Remuera Public School.-G, J. Lennox; Four sheets of architectural and engineering drawing. T. Buddie: Compound engine, radial drilling machine, compound roof and engine details. Henry Hesketh: A radial drill, horizontal road-engine, governor stand, and two sheets of machine details. Onehunga Public School— J. Parks: Three sheets of machine details and boiler plate joints. J. Dunwoodie: A three-fined cylindrical steel boiler, and four sheets of machine details. C. C. Davis: Hydraulic engine, screw-cutting lathe, interpenetrate of solids, donkey engine, and details. Rout): Three sheets of King and Queen post roofs, and timber bridge. Bare: Queen post truss with details, stairs and railing. Podsorar PublioSchool.—P. C. Slyfield: Pour-wheeled carriage and dog cart. B. Gulliver: Air pump section and elevation, feed pump, eccentric, sheave and (traps. R. Black : Working drawings of waggonette and pony cart, and sheet of conic section curves. C. Blomfield : Sections of single and double acting pumps. R. A. Lendrum: Section of plunger pump. P. Brewer: A sheet of details. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES. In the evening at eight o'clock there was a gathering of the pupile and their parents and friends, when Mr. Muir (ex-chairman of the Board of Education) presided. The Chairman said he occupied the position at the request of Mr. Luke, the chairman of the Board of Education, who lived in the country, and therefore wai unable to be present, but that gentleman was a warm supporter of technical education. The speaker went on to show how much Germany was indebted to technical education for her commercial progreee, and that England was now spending largeeumsin that direction in order to meet continental competition. The New Zealand Government now gave £'2000 a year to technical education, but,' divided among 13 boards, it left little to each, and was simply frittered away. He hope! tho Government would do more in the future for technical education. The speaker then called upon Mr. Robinson to read the annual report, which recounted the history and progress and working of these technical classes, founded some 12 years ago. We have only space for a passage.

The introduction of new and improved steam machinery has resulted in a demand for a better training of engineers and others in charge of such machinery. The Board of Trade now require higher training on the part of candidates fur their certificates, and in consequence the subject— ateam and the steam engine—is receiving great attention at the present time. The class courses bear special reference to these Government examinations. One is for the river certificate, another for traction and winding engineers, and others for first, second, and third class. Hea-goin? engineers: These classes have also been lately connected with the Science and Art Department, at London. Machine construction and drawing has always been one of the moat popular branches or instruction at technical aud engineering schools, and in this subject 13 students sat at the last July examination held in Auckland, of these seven obtained full certificates, and three were marked fair, a result in this subject rather higher than the English average. Closely allied to solid geometry and the branches already named is the broad subject, mechanical engineering, in which the City and Guilds of London Institute also hold examinations, and a number of pupils in these classes are taking up the subject with a view of obtaiuing u certificate. The connection with the Science and Art Department at London, has done much to encourage the pupils; they feel that their work is measured by an independent and recognised standard, and this is also a satisfaction to the teacher.

Mr. J. P.. Reed (a member of the Board of Education) addressed the meeting. He said technical education had his fullest sympathy, both at those classes and at, the technical classes in Rutland-streeb under the auspices of the School Association. Hβ hoped that the Board of Education would be able in the future to aid this movement. There wai no reason why the benefit of technical education shonld not be carried into the country districts. He was informed that the percentage of those who passed in these classes was greater than in England. The certificates would prove of great advantage to the young men in their future career in life.

The Chairman then presented the full certificates to the successful students for machine construction and drawing :—G. T. Slade, Leonard J. Chambers, John Park. Joseph Steele, Clias, C. Davis, Wβ, G, Teixeira, unci William Marshall. The students expressed their thanks to Mr. Robinson for toe care and attention he had bestowed upon them in their studies. Mr. Beany proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman for hie kindness in presiding, which was carried by acclamation. The Chairman then invited, in closing the proceedings, the ladies and gentlemen present to inspect the drawings on the wall, the studies of the students, before leaving the hall.