E.—s.

13

economic and industrial conditions appear to demand of the future workman a deeper knowledge and a more comprehensive training than attendance at evening classes can supply. The- increas ing interest that is being taken in the work of the technical schools by industrial and employers' associations will, it is hoped, result in employers of labour realizing that if their apprentices and young workmen are to do more effective and, to the employer, more profitable work in the shop, they must receive a more thorough training than can be obtained through the medium of evening classes. The conditions obtaining in the industrial world make it difficult, if not impossible, for an employer to teach his apprentices all they ought to know about their business. Moreover, the supply of "practical hands" —that is, of men who have picked up in the shops the accumulated practical experience of their business —is steadily decreasing; in fact, it is generally acknowdedged that the day of the old-fashioned " practical man " has passed, the new order demanding men with a mental equipment enabling them to apply their knowledge of principles to the problems of production. The youths attending our technical schools appear for the most part to recognize this, and with praiseworthy self-sacrifice are doing their utmost to make good their lack of mental and practical training. Ihe most casual observer if he visited the evening classes for subjects such as theoretical anil applied mechanics, mathematics, &c, would very soon discover that the difficulties incident to the instruction are not altogether the result of the lack of preliminary training on the part of the students, but are in most cases largely due to the fact that the students are physically tired after their day's wink, and consequently unable lo take full advantage of the instruction. The opinion is expressed that it would be more economical both to the State and the individual for technical training to be regarded as an integral part of the apprentice's training in the practice of his trade ami made the first ordei of the day's work. Facilities for technical training either already exist or would readily be provided, since those responsible for the conduct of our technical schools are keenly alive to the advantages that would accrue to both employers and employees. There is evidence of an appreciable decrease in the percentage of students unable, owing to lack of previous training, to avail themselves at once of the instruction in the principles on which the operations incidental to the business are based. This decrease is probably due to the fact that an increasing percentage of the students attending evening classes have, on leaving the primary school, attended a day technical school before becoming w age earners. Such students are naturally better able to enter on courses of instruction embracing theory and practice at evening classes than students who have received a primary education only. Day technical schools are now in operation at Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, Wellington, Westport, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill. With the exception of the Westport School, commercial, industrial, and domestic courses are provided. At Westport the instruction is confined to engineering. Courses in pure and applied art and in agriculture are also provided in some cases. The schools are fully and efficiently staffed and provide well-arranged vocational courses of secondary grade. The total number of pupils in attendance during 1912 was 1,526, including 1,375 free pupils. Commercial courses continue to be the most popular. The demand —which in main cases exceeds the supply —for young persons who have received an elementary commercial training at a day technical school seems to indicate that the training given is on right lines in so far as it enables these young people on entering an office to carry out in a satisfactory manner the duties assigned to junior clerks, stenographers, and typists. The course in commercial instruc tiou includes English and arithmetic, commercial history and geography, office routine ami business methods, book-keeping, shorthand ami typewriting. Girls taking the course also receive instruction in domestic subjects, while the course for boys often includes a science or some branch of manual instruction, generally woodwork. As regards the industrial course, the general aim is to provide elementary training in the principles underlying mechanical and electrical engineering, carpentry ami joinery, and cabinetmaking. The range of subjects included in the courses is sufficiently comprehensive to enable students to take an intelligent interest in their work when they enter the shops. There is no doubt that the two or more years of theoretical ami practical instruction received by pupils taking an industrial course provides a satisfactory foundation for the training of competent workmen. The instruction in English, mathematics, elementary science, machine construction and drawing, building construction ami drawing, and workshop practice is, generally speaking, on sound lines. It is hoped that, as employers become more familiar with the work done in the day technical schools, one of the conditions of apprenticeship will be that applicants shall be required to produce certificates to the effect that they have satisfactorily passed through a two-years course at least at one of these schools. As most of the latter have workshops equipped with modern machinery and appliances and in charge of competent well-trained instructors, lads having passed through the course should have nothing to unlearn, ami should at once become economically useful to their employers. Much is heard to-day of " industrial efficiency," and, although this term may have more meanings than one, it certainly connotes that a workman to be efficient must In- thorough in all his work. The standard of accuracy attained by main of the students taking industrial courses, especially in engineering, shows beyond doubt that thoroughness in every detail is demanded of them. Work mi these lines cannot have other than satisfactory results in the direction of training the future workman. The methods of instruction followed not only tend to stimulate the reasoning-power and to foster self-reliance and initiative