INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 24, 23 October 1917, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION

ORDINARY MEETING. A meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association executive was held last evening. Mr. F. J. Evans occupied tho chair. Tha chairman said that Mr. Veitch had expressed his willingness to address a meeting upon industrial matters. ' It was decided to invite Hr. Veitch to address a lull meeting ot mombers on the date of tho next ordinary meeting. Hie secretary read a letter from Mr. Herbert Gaby, who is now in England, and is just about to complete his eightyfourth- year. Tho meeting, decided that Mr. Gaby should be. yrriten to on October 24, his birthday. iho report of a committee set tip by the Auckland Provincial Industrial Association. to consider the matter of education ior industrial efficiency was placed before'the meeting; which approved the recommendations generally. The concluding portion of the report read as follows"The committee recognises a widespread movement at the present.time iu fIT f Br , of a 'ypo of technical education which involves early specialisation with a view to future occupation in life. As industrialists, and still more as citizens anxious for tho well-being of the community, we must, strongly oppose this. We regard, as the'ideal of education, tho training of the moral, mental, and physical faculties of every human being ts tho highest point they are capable of attaining; go that each, whatever his station in society, whether he be rich or poor, may havo the opportunity, if he can grasp it, of appreciating the greatness of this gift of life, and the majesty of the picture of the universe which is ever moving, and living, before his eyes. Vocational education, and too often vocation itself, must iu tho nature of "things interfere more or less with this ideal. Host men know themselves to bo in then vocational capacity mere cogs ill one of the wheels of tho vast machine of world industry. It is right and iiecessarv to bo efneient industrially; but to utterly sacrifice to this .end, by too early specialisation, the opportunity to develop the higher human interests and faculties, would not only tend to degrade men entirely to tho level of machines—a charge which is even now brought against modern industry—but might oven fail to make them efficiont in Hiij capacity."

•^L r * , '" s . suggested, in connection with the questions raised by tho report, that an arts and crafts guild should bo formed as the result of a. conference of peoplo outside the direct control of the Employers' Federation or the Ti-ades Hall people, but consisting of those who go to make up both sides. Mr. Watkins was invited to read a paper to the next meeting. It was decided to ask Mr. Veitch and Mr. La "robe to attend.