The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1903. COLONIAL REGISTRATION OF PLUMBERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 185, 19 August 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1903. COLONIAL REGISTRATION OF PLUMBERS.

The importance of pluujping from a sanitary stand pout id large towns, where a system of sewerage obtains, is generally admitted, and has of late beer, brought so prominently before the public that we need not again refer to it, We feel, however, bound to call attention to the excellent movement which has taken place in Wellington to secure the colonial registration of plumbsrs. A. meeting was latsly held in that city, at which it was pointed out that at present a plumber's certificate o ly held good for the town in which it was issued, and the members of the trade felt that if a system of national classification and examination could be introduced it would not oaly be in the interests of the trade but of the public health. The benefits of examination since the system of issuing licenses had been adopted by the Wellington City Council were already apparent in the increasing excellence of the work now done by journeyman plumbers The principal speaker at the meeting was Dr. Mason, Ohitf Health Officer. H poictedout that as one of a department responsible for the conservation of the health of the people of the colony he took a great intsrest in a branch of [industry upon which the health of the people largely dep nded. Attempts bad been made in England to place upon the Statute book a Plumbers' Registration Act, feu} up to the prrsentthes" efforts had failed, and he considered the piesent effirt would be useless uni less there _ was absolute unanimity. ■ During an interview with several members of the craft and Mr Riley, he had proposed a skeleton schema which pro vided that there should be a central board established in Wellington -a general council. This should consist of representatives from the workers, master plumbers, c'vic author ties, on* representing technical educition, and one from the Board of Health. This combination should appoint a board of examiters, and a paper should be set in Wellington and forwarded to the principal centres of the colony a>_d delivered into the hands cf some responsible person. At an appointed houtho papers hhould b>» op«i>ed by this 1 agent, who woul.i net as t of tne examination, and after the questions on the paper hid been answered forward them bark to WeHv.g'oo! This, he contended, would annus a uniform system of examination for the colony. Referring to h- practical work he suggested that a skilled craftsman should be appointed aa examiner, and he should send on tho result of the examination and the marks ao that tkev could be p'aced alongside those for the written work. By the central board issuing instructions to the individual examiners they would get a nnifotm standard, and with a fairly high standard attained he suggested the Gjvwnoient should be asked to put a sea! upon any ossificate issued. After some discussion it was decided that tha meeting approve of the proposition to introduce a Bill for colonial registration of plumbers, and it was resolved that a deputation wait upon tho head of (ho Government asking that a Bill be drafted. Wo need hardly siy how heartily we eadors? the above. It would, we feel suw, be approved by the trade everywhere, and get over tha difficulty. Tho local Education Board is' trying mora or loss successfully to' grapple with, and place this important j trade on a satisfactory footing. ■'