The Evening Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4256, 17 October 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1876.

Tibtjsss years ago an Industrial Exhibition was held in Hyde Park. The promoters had various objects in view, but one of their principal aims was to show, in a conspicuous manner, the relative skill of British and Foreign artisans. Pbinck Albert and many other eminent persons in the United Kingdom had been, for a long time previously, endeavoring to convince the public that while the British artisan had maintained his old skill and stability of workmanship, she Continental handicraftsman, through superior technical education, had supplied his own former deficiencies, and now stood

M ■*"* *«■*••*«. •» * l«reL and, is ethers, on a higher platform than his insular competitor. These warnings, however, fell upon deaf ear*. The export trade in British manufactures still kept up, and although those behind the scenes knew what a great peril threatened it, the unthinking crowd refused to believe the truth. The Exhibition ISSI dispersed these mists of ignorance; and forthwith "technical education" took its place as one of the problems to be solved by educational refort^rs/-It cannot be said >that tke problem has yet receited » final^soli^ibn; but agreat deateof pnj|tical"Sroik doheit Home ia;thd;siparting of4&iuoical intftruction to The Kenfeton School of Art/has Jmbbb founded; atiif although high-flown critics sneer at ifejs2aWsv it has distinctly raised the standard ornamental art throughout the kingdom, and much greater results may be expected to now from the institution as its organisation becomes improved. The necessity for technical education is leged at Home ; and there is hardly a town of anysizeinthecountrywhichdoesnet.posses'ia school where instruction may be obtained, at. jj cheap raie, imthoseaits and soiences*' certain knowledge of which is requisite to enable the artisan to perform his daily work in an intelligent manner. The system of technical education pursued in Great Britain is indeed, quite in it 3 infancy. There is little science exhibited in its construction; it is only a measure,hastily devised to meet a pressing want ; but it Vill develop into something better bye-aud-bye, an d become a system affording to every youth in tho kingdom, who is learning a mechanical trade, if he chooses to avail himself of it, the means of supplementing. ,the practical skill which he acquires in the workshop, with a full insight into the principles which lie at the root of hie art.

Technical education is every bit as necessary in New Zealand as in England. Perhaps it is more so, seeing that manufactories are conducted in England upon such an extensive scale that the intelligen's artisan may pick up a good deal of information withcut any systematic instruction; while the young workman in New Zealand is bereft of this resource of acquiring knowledge and skill. We have frequently heard young mechanics, who have learnt their trade in this country, lament their inability to become mechanics of the highest order, simply because there is no" means open to them of obtaining the requisite skill. That obstacle will disappear as the Colony grows more populous, but it exists at present and ought not to be overlooked. In any case, we cannot afford to lag behind the rest of the world in this matter. Pi ogress and hard work are the order of the day. The professional man has to learn and study more than he'used to do; commerce runs on swifter wheels than heretofore ; and the meohanieal arts grow ever more complicated and refmed. The artisau must accept hiß altered circumstances. He dare not let himself become a mere machine; he must work with his head as well as his bands, or he will degenerate and be supplanted by men capable of advancing with the times. Unless he goes forward, he will be driven to the rear by the rush of coinpe titors. If the Caledonian Society can establish such technical classes as are proposed in the 'report .read to the meeting at the Drillshed the other evening, it will confer an immense benefit upon the community ; and it •is in every way pleasing to find the Education Board co-eperating in the effort to accomplish so desirable a work. It is a large undertaking, but it is well worth the labor and expense that may be spent upon it. The classes will serve another end than those, mentioned. Mr Bprt uttered a significant truth in homely language when ho said :

If these boys take advantage of the several classes which no doubt will be initiated next year it will be one of. the greatast' boons to New Zenlaiid that has ever happened. I* will incite the higher class of boys to follow after the learning of trades more ihan hitherto. It is quite eviden'tthat up to the present time the yonth of Dunedia have not paid the same attention to these matters that they should have done. Too many have been paying attention to lighter occupations, and I may tell you that this is the curse of the colonies. We have too many of that class already. We cannot all be professional men; and I may tell you that from my reading of lustory s I have learned that the greatest engineers have ~ raised ' themselves from ovemujr classeß by their own exertions.

It is "the curse of the colonies" that honest mechanics, instead of training up their sons to their own occupations, at which they could easily gain a decent livelihood, with a fair chance of attaining idtimate independence, will persist in putting them to " genteel" employments, at which most of them find it'difficult to earn their bread, while their liveware prematurely soured through tlie disappointment of unreasonable expectations. It is an old story, which haß been narrated by Press and pulpit time and again; but the evil shows 11,0 signs of, abatement, and the warning needs reiteration. If, however, tho working classes dan be imbued with a consciousness of the true dignity of their own vocations, andthemental skill required for theirefficiteut exercise,there will be a reasonable prospect of this rush into "genteel" employments, ceasing ; and the artisan, wall lo,ve, instead' of despise his trade. A wholesome change. of oninioa of this kind, ( although not a certain; is a probable result.of the, .'(Siffusion of technical education and it is. right and proper that Dunedin, th« principal man'ufac turing city in the Colony; should, take the lead in so' excellent a inoveinent.