FROM KHAKI TO CIVIL LIFE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 146, 9 March 1918, Page 7

FROM KHAKI TO CIVIL LIFE

FIRST STEPS IN REPATRIATION

WHAT AUSTRALIA IS DOING

The. New South Wales State, and Commonwealth Governments in Australia have agreed on meaßnres for the technical training of returned 6oldiors. Tho following provisions (states the Sydney "Sun") are'included in the scheme for New South Wales •—

Students 3,102 Buildings and Equipment £59,000 Teachers' Salaries ......... £20,000

Tho State Education Department will carry out the scheme, and tho Commonwealth will find.the funds for 'any 'new buildings required. The Commouwealth: will pay salaries and expenses. The money will be lent to the State on the undertaking that when the buildings ce'nso to be used for Commonwealth purposes the State shall repay a fair value.

At'present in the various. technical colleges and trades schools in the State there is a _ certain amount of space available for the training of returned soldierV owing to tho fact that most of tho work of the Technical Education Department is carried on in the ovenings. There is, however, no day teaching' staff available for the purpose of training soldiers, and whatever staff would bo required would have to be appointed. Moreover, additions would nave to he made to the existing equipment.. . ■

The existing accommodation for the skilled tracfe*? is more than will 6o required. .But the accommodation for the partially-skilled and other occupations requiring only, short courses is too small to meet likely requirements, both in the- meilropnlitaN arer> of Sydney and at Newcastle and Broken Bill. Consequently, extra buildings will bo.. re-quired.-at these Tikces. Beyond the ■erection of a small buildintr at Lismore and Bathurst, and some structural alterations, no extra space will he required at the other country centres, since, it is believed that nil requiring instruction hoth in the slrillpd Jtnd parHi>lly ski'kil courts can he taken under existing conditions. Special Schools, It. is'proposed that the extra accommodation to be provided in the metropolitan area of Sydney shall be in the form, of four 6pecial schools. These schools will be built and equipped for the' special rapid training of factory operatives and of soldiers' Intended for partially skilled occupations. One of these schools will deal with operatives for all industries connected with the use of metals. A second school will provide for all the industries involving the use of timber. Another school will provide for the textile, leather, and straw-working industries. The fourth school will provide training for all the industries involving the use of clay. The establishment of these 6chools will be the first part of the scheme to be proceeded with,, since they will meet the- -necessities of by far the largest number of returned disabled men. and will provide the means of rapidly training men to begin as wage-earners. ■.. In estirtiatineihe cost of the scheme, considerable difficulty has been experienced in preparing a reliable estimate, since it is very difficult to determine not only what will be the total number requiring instruction, but also the numbers requiring instruction in the particular trades and callings. Many figures are, however, supplied. Nei/i/ Accommodation. .. The cost of new builunigs will be:— Four special new schools in .Sydney ~' .' £19,000 Newcastle School „ ti,OUO Broken Hill bcliool- 3,0U0 Lisimore .....' 1,2U0 Other details 1,450 ■ -, • '£30,650 New Equipment. The cost of new equipment will be:— Sydney, existing schools £3,000 Sydney, new soiiools 12,300 iNewcastle 5,000 Broken Hill 3,100 Bathurst 1,200 Lismore 1,300 Albury 500 Uoulburri 500 Maitland 050 Wo!longong 650 Other details , 350 £28,550 Instructors' Salaries, Instructors' salaries will cost:— Sydney, existing, schools £3,900 Sydney, new schools 5,854 Sydney, commercial courses .;. 1,500 Newcastle '.' . 3,402 Broken Hill .' 1,900 Albury Coo Goulburn 650 Bathurst 750 Maitland ;• ' 500 Lismore > *, 800 Wollongong 750 £20,656 Number of Students, The whole tcheme provides for the instruction of 3102 students in New South Wales made up as follows:— Skilled, 572; partially skilledi 2530. Of these 1930 will be in Sydney, 392 in Newcastle, -240 in Broken Hill, and the. remainder in othec* country centres.