TRAINING OF ENGINEERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15123, 14 October 1912, Page 8

TRAINING OF ENGINEERS.

NEGLECTED IN WORKSHOPS.

GOOD WORK IN TECHNICAL

COLLEGE;

[liV TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Saturday. Some grave statements regarding t-lio attitudo of masters toward their apprentice!? were made by Mr. W. Scott, a member of a deputation from the Christcbutdi Technical College, received by the Minister for Education (Hon. Jas. Allen) this morning. Mr. .Scott, is a, member of the Board of Governors of the college, and a member of a large engineering firm in Ghristchureh.

Mr. Scott, said that at the technical colleges young men were getting training that they were not getting in the. workshops of the Dominion. He regretted to say that the masters were not assisting in the direction they should assist with tho apprentices under their control. They should do more in tho way of assisting and educating the apprentices than they were doing at the present, time. There, was a feeling abroad thai, they were paying such a' high rate for labour that thoy should not waste timo in instructing these boys, and the latter must, therefore, get their , training at the technical college. He had obtained quite, a number of boys from the college; indeed, he made it a rule if he- wanted a boy to apply to the college, and he found they were tho best. At present, however, tho state of 'things in the workshop at the engineering college was . positively dangerous, The machines were all huddled together, and it was a wonder pome of the boys had not been caught in tho belts or hurt in some other way. They -were crowded out at present. There were, one or two machines to.be erected, and they did not know where to place them in tho shop. They had also to consider the question of motor cars. Tho timo was coming when they should take, that branch of engineering into consideration at the technical college. Now Zetland should not keep on importing millions of pounds' worth of motor cars, but should make them here. Electrical work also should be more in evidence.

Mr. AlleD .said ho was very sorry indeed to hear tliat tho masters carrying on the industries in New Zealand were not giving' the attention that they ought to give to those who wanted to learn in the shops. Boys could not be equipped in the technical schools to the full extent, therefore, they had to rely upon tho masters to be sympathetic. Ho hoped that what Mr. Scott had said was not true of New Zealand as a whole.