AIR FORCE TRAINEES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20115, 8 December 1939, Page 2

AIR FORCE TRAINEES

EDUCATIONAL CLASSES GOOD TYPE OF RECRUIT (Pit Press Association I WELLINGTON, this day. The progress made in the establishment of classes in mathematics and elementary physics for the training of recruits for the air crew section of the Royal Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was referred to by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, yesterday. Mr. Jones stated that the air force selection committee, consisting of Group-Captain T. M. Wilkes, Mr. E. Caraclus, director of educational services, and Flight-Lieutenant A. C. McArthur, has now completed its visits to North Island centres and only Wellington candidates remained to be interviewed. This would be done shortly before Christmas, after the South Island lour. The quality of the candidates offering, said the Minister, continued to be most satisfactory, and those below the required educational standard were being brought up to that standard by means of special classes. These classes had been established in Palmerston North, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Auckland and Napier, and in Auckland alone over 100 keen young students had been attending four classes in that city. During the South Island visit, similar arrangements would be made to establish classes there:

The Minister expressed appreciation of the co-operation given to the scheme by the. school boards and teachers generally. Education officers were being appointed to all air force stations, and a number would also be engaged in handling correspondence instruction at air force headquarters.