“ OUT OF TOUCH ”

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21601, 11 December 1941, Page 4

“ OUT OF TOUCH ”

. DEPARTMENT CRITICISED IMPORTANCE OF WELDING | ATTITUDE OVER EQUIPMENT | Members of the Hamilton Technical High School Board of Managers last night expressed themselves as surprised and indignant at a letter j from the Education Department, in j reply to a request for more equipment for the Hamilton Welding Club, which is allied to the engin- : eering department of the school. ; The department requested more information as to present equipment I on loan or belonging to the school; ! more details as to the 50 pupils en- | rolled or waiting enrolment; particulars of any demand for welders in Hamilton and other places; and what the probable cost would be of the new equipment asked for. The department expressed the opinion that in other centres there was little or no demand for skilled welders. The chairman, Mr C. Nisbet, said the letter showed that the writer was “utterly and absolutely out of touch” with present-day engineering, and particularly welding requirements. Growing Demand Claimed Mr J. Treloar said welding was becoming more and more important in engineering work, and the attitude of the department was evidence ! that it was absolutely out of date as ! regarded engineering practice. There ; was. he said, a growing demand for : welders, and the Hamilton Welding i Club was training pupils, young and ! adult, to be very capable welders. Mr C. J. Champness commented on ; what he called the absurdity of some ; of the statements and questions in J the letter. ■Continuing. Mr Champness said it was essential to have Bunsen burners for pre-heating iron in preparation for welding, and four such burners were necessary. The cost was not great. Welding Club's Progress The Hamilton Welding Club wrote j to the board expressing thanks for its effective help and encouragement in the past year. Good work was being done in manufacturing and [ fabricating equipment for the war I effort. All engineers in Hamilton had joined the welding club, and much useful equipment had been i provided. Within two weeks double ; the number of pupils for a reason-ably-sized class were enrolled. The club was the largest and most 1 efficient of its kind in the Dominion. - ; Much of its success was due to the 1 co-operation of the school board of i managers. | It was decided that a reply to the , Department's letter be framed by a : sub-committee. Members present at the meeting : last night were Messrs C. Nisbet , | (chairman), F. A. Snell. J. R. 1 Hooper. .T. Treloar, C. J. Champ--1 ness. H. B. Hall. A. J. McGrail and - i W. Fraser (secretary). Leave of abl senee was granted to Messrs C. A. t Barren, Mr-, B. H. Andrews And W. RothwelL 4 ' ■