AIR FORCE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 17, 15 October 1943, Page 4

AIR FORCE

Educational Services To

Be Strengthened

The intention of the Government to strengthen the Royal New Zealand Air Force educational services still further was announced yesterday by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones. He said that with the continued expansion of the Air Force and .the consequent increase in the number of personnel, the provision of further educational facilities for the training and the general education of airmen and airwomen had become a matter of ever-growing importance. The Minister said . that already much had been done, but the educational needs of the Air Force required greater attention than ever, and he considered it desirable that the present Director of Educational Services, Wing Commander E. Caradus, who was also acting in a dual capacity as chief inspector of secondary schools, should devote his whole attention to the Air Force. “I have therefore felt it necessary to ask the Minister of Education to relieve "Wing Commander Caradus of his duties as chief inspector of secondary schools,” said Mr. Jones. “To this the Minister of Education has agreed, and Wing Commander Caradus will be placed on leave from the Education Department for the duration of the war.” The Minister also said that New Zealand’s system of pre-entry training, not only for air crew but also for ground personnel, had always been given the greatest attention. It had been in operation since a few months after the outbreak of war, with such great success that other Empire countries had adopted it. Wing Commander Caradus has been in charge of the scheme since 1939.