TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 878, 26 September 1868, Page 4

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

(From, the Argus.)

Mr Bindon, in rising, on Wednesday night, to move a resolution on this subject, stated that there was no question of a social kind that was exciting more attention in England than this one. In proof of this, he might refer to the fact, that Mr Cliilders, in an address lately to the electors of Pontefract, dwelt upon technical education as one of the most important subjects that could be considered. The gentleman was not a theorist, who would talk upon a subject for fancy purposes, but, on the contrary, was one of the most practical men in the House of Commons. He might also refer to speeches of Mr Lowe, Mr Samuelson, and Lord Houghton, who all spoke in favour of technical instruction among the working-classes ; but instead of quoting the remarks of these gentlemen, he would rather allude to the opinions of two or three practical men. He could not give them better evidence than the conduct of Mr Whitw orth, who had performed one of the most noble acts that had ever been done. That gentleman, who had been a machinist and mechanician all his life, who had invemed the planing and several other most useful

machines, had given LIOO,OOO for scholarships, to be divided among young men whe were efficient in what was called technical instruction. He would next call attention to the opinion of Mr Mundella, the managing partner of a firm employing 5000 working people in establishments at Nottingham, Derby, and Loughborough, with branches in Saxony. That gentleman stated that he was born and educated among the working classes, and had been all his life in close association with them, and therefore his opinion ought to have some weight with reference to the importance of this subject. He said —

Whilst, therefore, I believe that the English workman is possessed of greater natural capacity than any of his foreign com* petitors, I am of opinion that he is gradually los-ing the race through the superior intelligence which foreign governments are care* iully developing in then: artisans. In what way was he losing the race? Just to show the advantages which European nations were gaining over England by the simple process of industrial instruction, he might state that from 1851 to 1866 — a period of 16 years — the exports, the producing power of the United Kingdom,had increased 153 per cent : France had increased 192 per cent; being abalanceover England of 40 per cent ; and Belgium had increased 220 per cent. This was simply in [consequence of the opportunities afforded to the working classes of enjoying technical industrial instruction. He would next read the opinion of Mr James Young, -who was the owner of the largest chemical works in the United Kingdom, and had bee a himself a working man : —

England for a long time excelled all other countries in the finish of her manufactures, but now we find that foreign machinemakers are rapidly approaching us in finish ; and having skilled and intelligent labour cheaper than ourselves, are progressing in all the elements of manufacturing. Permit me to use my own case as an illustration. Originally I was a working man, but have succeeded in increasing the range of manufacturing industry. The foundation of my success consisted in my having been fortunately attached to the laboratory of the Andersonian University. Glasgow, where I learaed chemis-try under Graham, and natural philosophy and other subjects under the respective professors. This knowledge gave me the power of improving the chemical manufactures into which I afterwards passed as a servant, and ultimately led to my being the founder of a new branch of industry, and owner of the largest chemical manufacturing works in the kingdom. There was another passage which he would read from a gentleman who had been not actually a workman, but who was one of the English jurors appointed to examine the machinery at the Paris Exhibition — Mr James M'Conneli. [At this point there was some talk going on among members sitting below the gangway on the Opposition side, and the hon. member stopped hi 3 remarks, and requested hon. members either to cease speaking or retire to the smoking-room] :—: —

In the class of which I was juror for England I made a very careful examination and comparison of our locomotive engines, carriages, and railway machinery, apparatus, and material, as shown by this country, with the same articles exhibited by France, Germany, and Belgium. lam firmly convinced that our former superiority in material and workmanship no longer exists ; in fact, there are engines shown there made in France and Germany equal to those of best English makers. It required no skill to predict, that unless we adopt a system of technical education for workmen in this country, we shall soon not; hold our own. in cheapness of cost as well as in excellence of quality of our m3chanical productions. He hoped that after reading these opinions the House wonld feel that it waa no presumption on his part to endeavour to inaugurate a movement of this kind here. The beginning which he proposed was small ; but if that beginning were made, he believed they would soon arrive at some more finished system of technical instruction. He thought that the scientific men in this country would be ready to make efforts in the same way as had been done by scientific men at home to reach the working-classes ; and although the sum he named was small, he believed it would be sufficient at least at the beginning. He begged to move —

That in the opinion, of this House it is desirable that a Board should be appointed, of which not less than three members shall be members of this House, to promote by lectures and otherwise technical and industrial instruction among the working clasaes — the expenditure not to exceed L2OO. The motion was carried.

The disagreeable smell peculiar to indiarubber may be got rid of by means of charcoal, and better still, lamp-black, which, as is well known, has the property of absorbing gaseous substances. The articles to be disinfected are put into a close vessel, covered over with charcoal-dust, and then exposed for a few hours to a temperature of from 60 to 70 degr sa Centigrade, by means of a water bath. When the articles are taken out, the charcoal- dust is brushed off, and it will then be found that they have, lost every trace of, bad small.