SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 240, 4 July 1919, Page 7

SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL

PROGRESS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING

WORK IN WELLINGTON

DISTRICT

Reports from tho vooation officers on the educational and vocational training of soldiers under hospital treatment are stated officially to s.how that throughout New Zealand this system is working veil, and that increased interest is being taken by the men. The scheme aims at giving thorn occupation and practical instruction while undergoing medical treatment, and in training thorn for their life after discharge. How theso objects are .being achieved at Hanmer is recorded by the manager of the training farm, who reports: "This month, our* nrst, has been a very successful one. Ihe men display great interest in thoir work, and attend regularly and punctually. The position, .as numbers have informed mo, is that beforo these classes were started they used to bo just waiting and looking forward to their discharge, whereas now they are , dreading the day when thoywiU have to go out." • The co-ordination of the work of the educational and vocational training branch with the Repatriation Board's system will enablo the men to carrv on thoir. training, if necessary, after their discharge, so that they need have no apprehension about being ablo to complete tho good work begun in hospital. In. Auckland nine classes are conducted in connection with the hospital annexe, the subjects bein?: basket work, leather work, poker work, etock diseases, motor engineering, poultry farming, woodwork, economics, and general education. Thero are also 17 men attending oflt-olaseea at the' Technical School, and three taking subjects at the University, while another is taking an engineering course by correspondence. Seventy per cent, of tho students of motor engineering are ont-patiente. and this class in Buceeeding bo wnll that the number of weekly lessona will bo increased. As tho number of patient* at Epsom Convalescent Home is email, there are no olasses at tho institution, but two patients are being trained in wool-olassing, at the Technical School, fivo *ire takinjr courses at tho Elam School,of Art, and one at studying aooountancy. A wool-classing course has been started at Kamo Sanatorium witfc ten students.

Rotorua is a busy centre of training. Classes in twenty subjects are in operation, and tho attendances in May totalled 2212. The Auckland vocation officer reports that practically all the demand is. ior vocational subjects. He notes the increased interest in tho educational and vocational training schemes now being taken by tho hospital outpatients. T'la classes in farming conducted by Mr. Lyons have been particularly successful, tho men being so keen that ho arranged with Mr. Burton,' nfThe Agricultural Department, to jrive seven more lectures. As an indication of the interest taken, it is. mentioned that 28 men made attendances totalling SC9. . The vocation officer adds that.the publicity (riven by the Press to the vocational training echemn has recently resulted in many inquiries being made by out-patients.

At Trentbam, which will, eventually ■become n large centre for orthopaedic treatment, a complete r>lnnt for the making of splints nrid sunrfcftl appliances has been installed. Workshops hare been bnilt, nnd instructors in carpentry and basket-making are conducting classes. A hutment ie lieinp fitted tip for engineering elapses, and a motor-car obtained for instructional Thirteen n»nar« tho Wellington Technical Mipol, and pome of the patients in the Miramar Hosnitnl are obtaining inphretion in bookkpeping and handi."mftn. Soldier natienh at Nanier are being piven opportunities to improve ch»ir education" at the local. Technical School. 08 well no in classes which have ben started at- the hospital. CuraHve work in in fiiU swing at Chalmers Hospital, Chxistchtirch. ard the tarp»ntere' shop and occnpatjonal room ire fy>'n.z .fitil->rsred to. cone w'th the in:ren«ed attendance. Ont of 91 pattentu >t Hunmer. no fewer than fifl'have been atteidimr tho classes, which have been ?<itablif>h.i?d in tho follPwina; :— Seneral apriciiltnrp, stock breeding, bookkeepinf. shorthmd. typewritini?, economics, boot repairing, signwritinf, and motor 'Tepiairing.- The motor-repairing tlnss, with 29 pnnile, has linen very successfnl. The soldiers are sivina; a. practical result for their tuition, for they are thoroughly overhauling a motor lorry, and will shortlv turn it out in first-class order. It ia intended to establish a wool-sorting class when the buiMinc now being erected for its accommo-. dation is completed. . It ie noted that the classes in agriculture, economics, and motor engineering are exceptionally large. The economics class numbers 40, and ie being conducted.by one of the patients, who is himself an enthusiast. Classes have been, established at Timaru, and a new carpenters'. shop ie being built, as the present workroom is too email to accommodate tho number of soldiers who ffwh for instruction.

One of the latest development at DunBdin hn3 been the iliantriiration of a levies of lectnres on economics by Archdeacon "Wondthorpe, of tho.ptago Uni' reraity. When nn expert is available from the Aeficulturnl Department, leetnrei on favioinr will be resulnrly heM &t the Dnnodin Hospital. About 40 soldiers pro attending the' Dnnedin Technical PMiool,' PTid three f-ho School of Art. Tho workshons at Duhedin Hcsniftil are nnw complete, and clnsaes are Vine iwtablifshod. A , :, the Mofltwillo Home the vocation officer reports .that the OTOTiationnl woTk is fi ifreat. shcops". and that the wirk' tnr-°d out by.th" patient? in excMleni. iVc ncoupationel mom at the Invorcarpill Convalpscflnt Kn-m" -fl n full swi-ni?. the iwHents beinr; taught basket-nwHnpf, leather work, wood-carving, and metal work.