PROPOSED NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13191, 31 May 1906, Page 6

PROPOSED NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

s * MEETING TO-RAISE FUNDS. PUBLIC ASKED FOR £3000. ; A CONFERENCE between the members of the Auckland Education Board and a number e of prominent citizens, asked to co-operate in a movement for initiating public subscrips tions towards funds for erecting a building " f»r the proposed new technical college, was " held in the Board's rooms, at the Victoria ' Arcade, yesterday afternoon. The chairman r of the Board (Mr. L. J. Bagnall) presided. • There were also present: —Messrs. j. Stall- " worthy, M.H.R., G. L. Peacocke, G. Edge- ' cumbe, and J. U. McKenzie (members of the > Board), C. Grey (deputy-Mayor), B. Hobbs, W. H. Smith, and A. C. Stevenson. The < director for technical education, Mr. George ) George, was also present. Apologies for f non-attendance were received from the ! Mayor (Mr. Arthur M. Myers), and Messrs. i R. Hall, J. B. Macfarlane (president of the ■ Chamber of Commerce), and A. Kidd, > M.H.R. The Chairman said the amount required ■ towards the end titer had in view was very considerable, £30,000. The Department had repeatedly been applied to for assistance, and. last session £4000 was placed upon the Estimates, a sum that was alto- , gether inadequate. The Department made it- quite clear that they thought* the public should assist with subscriptions, and pointed , out that this had been done in other large , centres. They were glad to know that the i trustees of the Savings Bank had agreed to help thorn, and f.i.id put forward 3 ;.-rop«Sßj I by which £10,GvO oit of th*ii- s irr, ■> fund?. would bo placed abtheii disposal, provided the accessary legislation were obtained. If. was also lino©:' tluit the O ' "nme .■ woul'i ' grant ... simii;.-. amount, whim would bring the total sum available up to £24,0 X). If they could raise another £"O.Z by pubiiu subscription this would be subsidised £ for £ by the Government, which would bring them within the mark. Mr. George George said as they were aware the work of technical education iiu Auckland had been carried oat undo- great disadvantages. He could quite understand that three rears and a-half ago, when there were only about 30 students attending the Technical School, they could not expect very much helu from die Government or from the citizens, but now matters were different. Things had eono ahead to such an extent that they now had about 900 students attending the school, and hi addition they had refused admission to upwards of 100 already for the present session. The accommodation for the 900 students at present receiving instruction was most inadequate, and several of the. rooms were absolutely insanitary through overcrowding. The ventilation was bad, and yet they had to either refuse students or overcrowd them. He had been hoping for a long time, • in fact, hoping against hope, that. something would be done in .this. Miatto,. ~,,,1 a A nil +1,„ *;.„. .1,-Vl J-

m tins matter, and had all the time had in his mind's eye what had been done in other parte of . the world. Glasgow recently raised £210,000 towards her technical school, and i he hci>?d that Auckland would do something ; In proportion. The fact that the Governi raen\ >vbsidised subscriptions by £ for £ was a gloat encouragement, and the fact that the trustees of the Auckland Savings Bank, a body of level-headed business men, were donating £10,000, showed the importance of the school. When talking the matter over . with the Board the other day, he had suggested that it would be well if they could get a representative meeting of, citizens to devise some means of getting in subscriptions. He had called upon several citizens, and had received promises of donations of £100 each from the Mayor (Mr. Arthur M. Myers), the Hon. E. Mitchelson, and Messrs. Smith and Gaughey. The gentlemen he had, spoken to were,of the opinion that they might easily get 20 of the leading firms to do the same, and if they did it would be a long way towards tho £3000. J.- J. CVrfjg and Co. had also promised him £50. Steps were also being taken to get the students to canvass foi subscriptions, and .collecting cards for this purpose would be distributed next. week. If the people of Auckland believed that the erection >f a new technical college was a necessity ho hoped they would show it in a practical m-iimei. Mr. O. Grey said he felt if Mr. Myers had been present he would have put before them a scheme whereby they would have been able to raise the £3000 required readily. If a new technical college was erected it would be for the advantage ot th? working classes, and lie thought that they should have been asked in the first place to subscrioe towards helping their own children. IT. ii Li _ .: l__ !,.*(.... ,l 1.1 1 .•-

He thought a circular letter should be issued to the various unions of the city, asking them to contribute, and if they used their funds towards that purpose, it was towards a purpose that would benefit, them materially. They might go further than that and ask the friendly societies to assist. He thought before going any further in issuing subscription lists, those who were going to derive the greatest benefit should have an opportunity of contributing first. M*. George -aid circulars had already been, sent out to the various unions, and a number of them had contributed. Mr. Hobbs said he felt a very great interest in the matter. Ho did not doubt that the citizens of Auckland ;vould rise to the occasion, and do what they could. He thought they should appeal to those who could afford to give. That was the prae- ' tical way of looking at it, although l'«agreed with M r - Grey that all should assist. Some people were under (.lie impression that they were endeavouring to establish too great or too fine a structure, but they were under a delusion. The building which would be erected would not be an extravagant one, and everything done would be with a view to utility. Such a buildipg as they hoped to erect would help a great many young men and women along, and would keep them off the streets, and instead of spending their time in idleness would improve them and make them more ■lit to fight the kittle of life. It would tell in the future of the nation. Mr. Hobbs paid a high tribute to the valuable work done by Mr. George, and in conclusion, said he hoped to see the public take up the matter. , Mr. G. L. Peacocke said there was a great deal in what Mr. Grey had said in regard to the unions, but at the same time he thought Mr. Hobbs was right in his view that they should approach those who could afford to give. Nothing, however, had so far been said about getting a. grant from the City Council. He thought the City Council should be asked to assist, and If it assisted then the ratepayers as a whole assisted. It- was universally admitted that the Technical School was need-' ed, and he congratulated Mr. George upon the splendid progress he had made. " If," asked .Mr. Peacocke, " Mr. George has been able to do so well with so little, how much better will he do when he has every convenience Mr. Grey said as far as the City Council was concerned, such an application must come before it in the shape of a letter. Mr. Bagnall moved, .." That application be made to the Oity Council, 'and to the various local bodies in and around Auck- , land, for subscriptions," The City .Colin-

l cil, he said, had already been very' liberal towards the Technical School by grantin* a-site, and be thought it would also be prepared to help them by a donation in money. He would add to his motion "That committees of those circularised be appointed to canvass the various districts for private subscriptions." .'The motion was seconded. , "•' Mi'. J. Mitt-hell, the Board's architect . who was also present, said the new techL nical college would benefit the worker . and if it benefited him it would ateo bene- , fit the employer, and then in the long run j the consumer. t Mr.- Smith suggested that 20 of the i largest firms should be. approached, and he thought that if this were done, a large amount, would be raised. They could then . go to the Council and others. He did not , altogether agree with Mr. Grey that the working man could be expected to do t much, as it took all the average working man's earnings to keep his family. The motion was then put, and carried.