Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1st 1918. A PRACTICAL EFFORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER Ist 1918. A PRACTICAL EFFORT.

Tiik educational scheme by General Richardson in command in England, For the benefit of the men of the New Zaland Expeditionary Force, is a farreaching effort,’ promising very practical results. The men in English camps, resting in reserves in France, or even in the more forward lines, have the opportunity to improve themselves in both education and occupation while in Khaki. Indeed, while on the return voyage to New Zealand on hospital ships, the opportunity to improve land or mind does not cease, and the classes are continued for the express benefit ot the men. The day of demobilisation is hastening now, and it was an extremely wise and thoughful step to organise this effort well in advance. It is now working on very practical linos in the northern hemisphere, and the idea has come to he quite an object lesson for other countries since it. has been put into practice. A conference of officers was hold a few months back in England and now things are being done—the hall-mark of practical efficiency. A corespondent comments that. judged from this'point of view, the N.Z.E.F. educational scheme is doing well. After the Education Conference in early May, it was decided to make experiments in several of the camps, and Hornchurch Convalescent Hospital was selected for the first “try-out.” Commanding officers of the camps, hospitals, etc, and others interested in the scheme, were invited to Hornchurch on June 19th. when a demonstration was given of the class work already in active session. General Richardson presided over* a conference at which many of the problems connected with the launching of a big education scheme under war conditions were considered, and much valuable discussion ensued. Some 20 different classes were seen at work and those present were delighted with the progress of the class work. The lecturers and teachers showed a high degree of teaching ability and the men displayed great keenness and desire for instruction. Remarkable progress was registered for such a short time. The wide range of class work covered such subjects, as English, French, economics hook.-kooping, Shorthand, woodwork, basket work, cinema operating, stainedglass windows, building construction, drawing, bootmaking, wool-classing dairy science, fruit growing, surveying and levelling and several branches of agricultural science. The enrolment of students after one month’s work totalled 2,000 representing over 1,300 individual students. The visit to Hornchurch demonstrated that the scheme is going to he a great success. • Those

responsible for the progress made deserve the highest praise for successfully launching what is in some sense a difficult scheme and carrying it- out under active service conditions. Since the foregoing was written the scheme has made great advance, and is now working in France, at the hospitals and on. shipboard, everywhere* where soldiers are congregating and there is the chance to improve the shining hour. The scheme has as its aim the assistance of the individual soldier, so that he may return to his native land as little prejudiced as possible through his absence from his work and studies and with high ideals and a reasonable knowledge of his duty as a citizen. The training will he attractive; there is nothing in it of those elements of school life the memory of which is the leastpleasant of ‘one’s recollections. And every part of it will he essentially useful. For instance the English course is to he set forth as “How to speak correctly; how to write correctly; the writing of business and other letters; how to put together a short speech in logical sequence; thus formal grammar, syntax, the construction of words etc., are largely displaced by that- which can be made useful in the time available, while book-keeping will specialise in tradesmen’s and farmer’s books. A short- course in personal and social hygiene, the study in nr interesting manned of the salient points in the history of the British Empire, of modern Europe and the United States of American, the expounding of the elementary principles of economics and the teaching of a vocational course are the means by which it is considered the- objects aimed at will best be accomplished. The vocational courses are to include among other subjects, fruit farming, general and scientific farming, wool classing, carpentery, joinery, and cabinet-making, plumbing, boot- machinery and harness repairing, engineering and electricity, basket making, art, accountancy and law, while the course for somo of the occupations will include visits to manufacturing centres and to staid and experimental farms. The best- is apparently to be done for each man, ana whereever there is a demand for a spe. oial course, it will he met. Recognition, too, is being sought for certificates which will be given for study undertaken on active service-, and "these will be most helpful as proof of the ability of the possessor to carry out efficiently the work which be lias been instructed in. The scheme is promoted with the best- intentions i and evidently on carefully thought out, sound lines. It deserves' to succeed—indeed it should command success for it is the sort of practical movement to

CoiiiinCiu»l itself in the- highest degree. .Trr.ciNO by tin- opening phases of the debate on the Address-in-Iteply, the speakers outside the Ministerial rank, have not spared the. Government a marked degree of criticism. Even the mover and seconder of the formal resolution of approval of the Speech, took up the role of independent critics, rather than that of party champions. The speakers who followed, took their cue accordingly, and preached from the same text of opportunities lost and works undone. The Labour Tarty put the sincerity of the critics to the test by moving an adverse motion traversing the want of Government policy regarding the cost of living, but the support obtained was not in keeping with the spoken professions of members. To that extent, therefore, the criticism is insincere—the critics are not backing up their words bv deeds. r l hey are content to tell the Government, what is thought and said of them in the. country, and telling it face to face to the delinquents, consider their duty done. It is for the Government to repent now, it it is not too late to win bank the confidence of the people, and make good the professions and promise for the national weal. Ihe votes of the majority of the House, of course arc controlled by the com-pact—-to maintain the National Government for the duration of the war. In this strong, in fact- impregnable, position is the strength and weakness of . the Government. They are secure in ' office giving them strength, but their j weakness lies in not using that strength ■ for the betterment of the country. Nov., or again will a Govenrment be so scourely placed and possess so great ait i opportunity to work a great good. His torv will condemn it for lost- oppot- 1 (unities, and experience will be against; a return to tho single ruling party, for its great strength is its great ' national weakness. |