TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1918, Page 7

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IN THE TARANAKI DISTRICT. At the meeting of the Taranaki Eduoation Board on Wednesday Sir. A. Gray, Director of Technical Education, reported as follows: New Plymouth.—At New Plymouth the numbers in the various classes are as follows, the numbers for last year being given in parentheses:—Commercial 107 (101'), engineering CO (52), domestic 10 (B),'»rts and science 15 (15). agriculture 2 (2), art 1 (1); total 105. The question otf accommodation i>; still a burning one. The senior commercial class should have a room about three times as large as they have at present. This class is doing very good work. One of its numbers has already been placed in a position, although in genera! it is not advisable that these positions should be taken until the end of the three years. Two additional typewriters have been purchased. The engineering class is badly in need of more lathe*. We have received a quote from a Wellington firm for two "Mascot" lathes, but the Department does not- appear to be abfo to trace them. I am in communication with two firms which have advertised second-hand lathes.

Evening Classes.—The numbers in the different evening classes are as follows: Dressmaking 3, book-keeping a, motor car engineering 0, shorthand 0, English and arithmetic 13, steam, gas and oil 3, workshop practice fi, electric engineering 6, plumbing 0. Tlfese classes made a

start at the Beginning of the month. The numbers are small so far and the names of boy absentees! liave been handed to the truant officer. Tennis Court, —With regard to the Board's permission to put down a tennis court if a suitable site could be located, 1 have to say that the only suitable site is between tho school and Lemon street, where the shrubs now stand. ' To place the court on this site would, I am afraid, entail too much excavating. Train Service.—l beg to again mention the inconvenience of the train service. I am convinced that a more suitable time-table would make a great difference to this school. Thanks. —Our thanks are due to Mr. A Smith, of the Criterion Motor Garage, who 'has presented a motor car chassis to the engineering class, and to Mr. A. Lister, who has on several occasions lent us his mowing machine free of charge. Hawera.—At Hawera the numbers in the different classes are: Commercial 05 (6G), arts and science 21 (19), engineering 9 (7), agriculture 5 (7); total 100. Mr. Catton, the engineer appointed by the Board, took up his duties on the 18th inst. With regard to equipment and accommodation. I beg to recommend that the old plumbing room be converted into an engineering room temporarily, and that a minimum equipment be purchased. Of course application would have to be made to the Department for a grant. The engineering clafis promises to be most successful. The evening classes are being continued, and a syllabus of engineering classes for the evening. will be issued immediately. Stratford. —At this centre an evening commercial course is boing carried or., consisting of shorthand, commercial arithmetic and English, commercial correspondence and book-keeping. I understand that tile local committee has under consideration the advisability of recommending compulsory attendance. I think such a move would be a wise one. Eltham. —At this centre the classes which had just started have had to ho shut down owing to" an outbreak of diphtheria. Waitara. —The woodwork and cookery classes at this centre have been opened. A good deal of difficulty is being experienced in securing suitable tools for the woodwork room, but we are securing as many as we can ,from various sources. "So far only the classes from the public sehool have been able to attend owing to the size of the class but I am arranging to take the convent classes on a different day. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL REPORT. The Manual and Technical Committee Messrs H. Trimble, S. G. Smith, E. Dixon and R. Masters) made the following recommendations:— New Plymouth Technical College.— That twelve single desks be supplied; that the question for accommodation for horses be referred to the overseer to report; that, in the opinion of the committee, that part of the ground near Lemon street now planted with shrubs is not suitable for a tennis court. .

Hawera Technical School. —That 5s per day be allowed to Mr. Chapman for the use of his horse and trap; that the director in consultation with the chairman of the Board be authorised to purchase two typewriters; that the plumbing room be converted into an engineering room and that application be made to the Department for a grant for equipment; that Miss Doris E. Lovell be offered the appointment of assistant commercial instructor for a period of sis months from February 5 last, at a salary of £IOO per annum.

Cookery Instruction —That at present no cookery instructress be appointed in succession to Miss Taylor, but that Miss I'alce and Miss Dean carry on the work according to the time-table arranged by the director, and that Miss Paice's salary be increased to £l4O per annum, and Miss Dean's to £BO per annum.

General.—That the attention of the Inglewood School Committee be drawn to the complaint of the director re the cookery room. That the Waitara School Committee and the head teacher be informed that the cookery room may not bp used .for ordinary school classes. The report was adopted.