MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1917, Page 3

MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IN TARANAKI. The following reports on manual and technical education in Taranaki were dealt with at the ordinary meeting of. the Taranaki Education Board yesterday:— COMMITTEE'S REPORT. Messrs H. Trimble (chairman) R. Musters, S. G. Smith and E. Dixon (manual and technical committee) reported: •The following applications were jeeeived for the position of temporary assistant instructor in engineering: W. S. Wright, M. J. McWilliams, C. H. Gatland, and W. tt'ilkie. We recommend that Mr. W. S. Wright bo appointed, at ai salary of £2su per annum. That the Eltham District High School committee be informed that unless arrangements can be made to allow the morning commercial class to be held in the primary school, the Board will be obliged to take, for the purpose of that class, the room in the. technical school now used by tho District High School, and that the committee's attention be drawn to the need for opening tho technical school building' at an earlier hour. That tho Hawera Winter Show Company be added to the list oi authorities electing members to the Advisory Committee of tho Hawera technical school. That the Employers' Association, and the Labor Council, be each empowered to appoint a representative on the Advisory Committee of the New Plymouth .Technical College. That the question of the purchase of extra lathes be allowed to stand over for the present. That the Director of Agriculture be authorised to obtain a new centrifugal milk tester for Kaponga. That the Hawera Borough Council be thanked for its offer of three acres of land for the site of a technical school at Hawera, and that urgent application be made to the Minister for Education for the- establishment of a technical high schoc! at Hawera, and that the chairman and Mr. Wilkinson be authorised to ;isit Wellington in connection with this question if they should think it necessary. That Messrs F. Cooper, Ltd, be thanked for their donation of seeds. That Mr. Browne be asked to report as to what schools he would recommend for observation schools for growing shrubs for distribution to other schools. TECHNICAL EDUCATION, Mr A. Gray, technical director, reported: —All classes are at present closed down for vacation. In numbers the classes are approximately the same a3 previously reported. The attendance at the evening classes has suffered as a result of the illaess of the truant officer, Mr. Ainsworth. A strong class has been started under the auspices of St. John's Ambulance Association, Mrs. Dockrill. secretary. The plumbing class has been abandoned owing to the small number of students coming forward. It will appear that the regulations with regard to sanitary plumbing and certified workmen will have to be enforced very strictly. I understand that it was tacitly agreed not to be too strict with these regulations during the war, but it seems that the tickets will have to be demanded, as the majority of the young plumbers are making no effort to get their certificates. This is not on account oi* the laxity of employers, a3 in some cases the employer ha 3 ictually gone as far as to pay the fees of his younger workiron. The College is still without the service? of a permanent shorthand and typewriting instructor, and Mr. Duff is continuing to teach these subjects as a visiting instructor. The following gentlemen have 'oeen appointed from various bodies to act on the College Advisory Committee:— 'Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. Paton;. Borough Council, Mr. Short; County Council, Mr. J. Connett; Fitzroy school committee, Mr. Grayling; Central school, Mr. S. G. Smith; Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr. J. R. Hill; elected by citizens at adjourned meeting held oil 20th inst.. Messrs G. H. Dolbv, M.A., W. G. Reid, E. H. Tribe. I heartily endorse a suggestion put forward at this meeting to the effect that the various trades unions should be represented on this committee. During the coming twelve months the whole question of apprenticeship will likely come under review, especially with regard to the relation of apprentices and technical work. Hence the finding of a body composed largely of employers and employees 'will be of material benefit to the Government in framing any legislation it may undertake in this direction. This applies also to Hawera. Hawera. —At this centre also the members are substantially the same as last reported. Further shorthand successes are reported from the commercial classes j as follows:—Pitman's Shorthand '2nd class certificate, Dulcie Nairn and Kathleen O'Sullivan; Pitman 3rd class certificate. Gladys Robertson and Alina Sturrock. There is a very fino working spirit in this class, and it is hoped that, the Department will soon allow the i

other classes to bo developed similarly. The Advisory Committee here will becomposed of the following gentlemen: County Council, Mr, J. B. Murdoch, Egmont A. and P. Association, Mr C. J. Haw-Icon, Borough Council, Mr. C. R. K. Camming; school committee, Mr. K. S. Sage; Chamber of Commerce., member vet to bo appointed; elected by citizens at a meeting held on July 30th, Messrs L. A. Bone, L. O. Hooker and R. Tait. I recommend that the Winter Show Committee should be entitled to elect a member to tho Technical Advisory Committee. This committee has always been most energetic in its encouragement of education, and I am sure a representative from it would be of great help. Stratford.—The numbers in the various classes are as follows:—Motor engineering 20, dressmaking 5. plumbing 5, shorthand 3, English and history 5. mathematics 5, English 17, arithmetic li, drawing 12. The motor engineering class, which lias just been inaugurated, is in charge of Mr.' Skelton, of the New Plymouth Technical College., and it promises to be a very healthy class. The supervisor, Mr. Tyrer, is energetically working up classes to enable the free pupils to take advantage of the evening tuition. I propose to suggest to the Stratford committee the advisability of asking the 'Board to introduce the compulsory clause of the Act. It is only a matter of a very short time when these compulsory classes will 'be enforced all over New Zealand, and each centre might just as well start right away. Elthani.—Mr. Lightbourne reports the following numbers:—English and arithmetic 15, book-keeping',lo, shorthand and typing 12, dress-making (jnn.) 10, dressmaking (sen.) 9. engineering 16. Mr. lightbourne suggests certain alterations to the cookery room in order to make it more comfortable. Among other things a gas heater is asked for, in order that tho room may be used with comfort by the morning commercial class. Mr. Tugwell reports that at present it is verjj cold. I suggest that the gas heater should be installed at once, if no arrangements can be made for the use of a room in the school. The report was received.