HILLSIDE WORKSHOPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20962, 27 February 1930, Page 19

HILLSIDE WORKSHOPS.

APPRENTICES’ CLUB. The first official function held under the auspices of the recently-formed Hillside Apprentices’ Club took place in the Hillside Social Hall on Monday last. The function, which was entirely organised by the Apprentices’ Club Committee, with Mr J. It. Arnold as chairman and Mr A. J. Simon as secretary, took the form of a social evening, with the boys’ parents, shops’ officers, and representatives of the Trades Society as guests. Advantage was taken of the occasion to make the annual presentation of prizes won by apprentices attending the 1929 classes. Apologies for absence and wishes for success were received from Mr H. H. Sterling, general manager; Mr G. S. Lynde, chief mechanical engineer, and Mr W. G. Aldridge, principal of King Edward Technical College. At the presentation ceremony, Mr C. J. Graham, works manager, presided, and prior to the prize-giving eulogised the services rendered by the instructor, Mr D. J. Sherriff. He called for the co-opera-tion of the parents of the boys, and stressed the great advantages the boys would derive from study and making the best use of the facilities for training provided by the department. > Mr E. T. Spidy, superintendent of New Zealand Workshops, was present, and to him may be given the credit for the institution of apprentice training in the railway workshops of New Zealand. He paid a tribute to the initial efforts of the Apprentices’ Club and also pointed out the greater opportunity for present-day apprentices to. reach the higher positions in the service provided they applied themselves to study. He stated that Hillside men and Dunedin men in general had a good reputation throughout the Dominion, and a certain pride of race which it was hoped the present-day apprentice would maintain. The present-day apprentice had a greater opportunity of a thorough training as a tradesman and a mechanical engineer than was formerly the case when the executive heads were trained as a special class with little opportunity open for apprentices to get to the highest executive positions in the mechanical branch. In giving a thorough training to apprentices at the department’s expense, the department would ultimately reap the benefit in a superior and better trained body of tradesmen. Mr D. J. Sherriff, instructor, for the benefit of the parents present, gave a resume of the years’ working and of the newly issued apprentice regulations. Apprentices were required to attend classes at Hillside in the department’s time, three hours weekly. They had also to attend Technical School at least two nights' a week for the first three years. On - the production of a satisfactory report, the Technical School fees were refunded by the Railways Department. In future the highest executive positions would be filled from the apprentice ranks. Hitherto these had been filled by lads who started in the service as engineering cadets. Two or more scholarships tenable for four years leading eventually to a university course to be attended in the department’s time would be available to apprentices. An apprentice in the railway shops had, therefore, an opportunity for training which would fit him out as a thorough tradesman; further, if he studied diligently and had the capabilities to become a high executive officer in the mechanical branch the opportunity was there.

Mr E. T. Spidy presented prizes to the following:—■ First-year apprentices, W. C. M'Combie Second-year apprentices, R. Kennedy. Third-year apprentices, J. R. Arnold 1, A’ G. Hebbard 2.

Fourth and fifth-year apprentices (fitters and turners), R. F. Marriott. Other apprentices, J. R. B. Murphy. ’Mechanical drawing, W. R. Smith. Freehand drawing (fitters and turners), R. Kennedy.

Freehand drawing (other apprentices), R, M'Farlane.

Prizes were presented by the Tradesmen’s Association, Mr C. J. Graham, Mr G. Baird, Mr F. Bonifant, Mr D. J. Sherriff, and all foremn. After the prize-giving, Apprentice C. J. Parsons, on behalf of the senior apprentices, thanked Instructor D. J. Sherriff for the care and trouble he had taken with his instruction, and assured him Lhe training was of great benefit to apprentices in practical shop work, and advised younger apprentices to take full advantage of the training. During the evening, selctions rendered by the Hillside Workshops Orchestra, under Mr,R. P. Wallace, and two songs by Apprentice C. A. M'Dowell, were received with applausp, Messrs W. Curry and E. E. Wheeler, president of the Tradesmen’s Association and A.S.R.S. respectively, briefly assured the apprentice instructor of the Interest .both societies took in apprentice instruction, and of the good which would accrue, both to the men as tradesmen and the department. Supper, provided and dispensed by the apprentices, was done full justice to by those present. An exhibition of .work by apprentices, including drawing, ‘ tracings, and blue prints, painting, signwriting and shading, and practical engineering work, including welding, was favourably commented upon by the parents, and reflected great credit on Instructor Sherriff and his pupils. An enjoyable dance to music supplied by several members of the Hillside Orchestra fconcluded a most enjoyable function. i '