LESSONS FROM GERMANY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3197, 25 May 1909, Page 7

LESSONS FROM GERMANY.

The German manufacturer is to some extent helped by cheaper labour, but he is helped far more by technical education, which has for half at century been steadily ministering to industrial efficiency, remarks a London paper. What ever the trade, the German employer devotes careful attention to the technical training of his workers, and if public institutions do not exist, as is otfen the case in small to'wns, the large employer will take the work into his own hands'' and conduct free day or night schools for his apprentices and young people. It is not too much to say that efficient education is more respo-sible than any other cause for Germany's industrial success, and Germany itself ii so convinced of the fact that the efforts and sacrifices which are being incurred on bthalf of the technical and continuation schools of various kinds were never so great as now. It is a significent fact that there are few large German towns without indus] trial associations (distinct from the usual chamters of commerce), one of whose primary objects is to make full and adequate provision for the technical training of the youth of both sexes. So far is care shown for the rising gen .'ration, that n some v towns the public labour bureaux have for several yeais co-operated with the educational a trorities in assisting boys and girl j: t i obtain situations in the occupations for which they have been pre- ] paring themselves. It is also an immense advantage to German inI duatry that by the operation of the I universal system of sickness and invalidity insurance the physical-well-I being, and therefore the efficiency, of the workers is safeguarded to a degree which is unrealisable in Great Britain, where only a small-fraction of the working-classes enjoy any provision of the kind. Thanks to t © insurance funds, to which he has paid a fair contribution, the Germa s workman is secure in time of illhealth, prompt and efficient medical attention, followed, if necessary, by convalescent home treatment, while the money grant which he receives in addition assures him against any , dimunition of domestic comfort or i any inroad upon his savings.