TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17254, 2 September 1919, Page 5

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

AUCKLAND REQUIREMENTS.

EXTENSIONS TO COLLEGE.

EXPENDITURE OF £72,000 URGED.

The urgent requirements in buildings and equipment of the Seddon Memorial Technical College were the subject of a report last evening to the Board of Managers of the college by the director, Mr. Ueorge s George. The report emphasised that among other things the war had demonstrated the absolute necessity for every country developing its resources to the utmost. Probably the greatest factor in such development was technical education, and "it was essential that during the present session Parliament should vote substantial sums for technical education. This branch of education was in a starved condition in Auckland. The college had been greatly overcrowded for some years, and temporary, and in most cases unsuitable, buildings had been made use of. The original building was designed for five storeys, including a large back wing. The available funds, however, proved only sufficient for the erection of three storeys, and the back wing had to be left out a.together. To put the college on an up-to-date footing and to meet the present requirements, the report stated, the Government should immediately provide funds for new workshops, estimated to cost £20,000 the completion and equipment of the additional two storeys of the main building at a cost of £40,000, and the erection and equipment of hostels for country students at a cost, including the purchase of sites, of £12,000, making a grand, total of £72,000. Referring to the proposals in detail, the director said that a portion of the land in St. Paul Street purchased a few years ago by the Board of Governors would be an excellent site for the college workshops, which at present were housed in the main bui'ding. The workshops would include a emithy, foundry, plumbers' shop, sheet-metal workers' shop, engineering, boot and shoe-making machinery, printing, carpenters, cabinetmakers, and patternmakers' departments, woodworkers' machinery room, toolrooms, storerooms, lavatories, etc. Regarding the proposal to establish hostels for country pupils, Mr. George said the lack of bearding facilities for country pupils was a serious drawback. Parents in the country who wished their children to attend the college had to make arrangements to have them accommodated in private families, but rather than do this many parents preferred to keep their children at home. He added that the hostels once erected and equipped would be selfsupporting. The director also emphasised the necessity of having the annual rate of capitation paid to such schools increased by at least 50 per cent. It was imperative that this should be done in order to pay salaries in proportion to the present cost of living. It was generally recognised that the cost of living in New Zealand had increased by at least 50 per cent, since the beginning of the war, but the rate of capitation had not only not been increased, but there was an indication that the proposed new rates of capitation for evening classes would be even less- than they were prior to the war. That meant that managers of technical schools would find it impossible to carry on the work of the schools as efficiently as they did before the war, as they would be unable to pay sufficiently high salaries to obtain the services of highly qualified instructors, seek more remunerative occupations. On the motion of the chairman, Mr. A. J.' Entrican, it was decided to forward copies of the Teport to ail the Ministers, i and to the Auckland members of Parliament.