WOOL-CLASSING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2004, 17 July 1919, Page 1

WOOL-CLASSING.

POPULAR SUBJECT FOR SOLDIERS. Wellington, This Day. Among (he great variety of subjects taught to soldiers by the Vocational and Educational Training Branch of the Defence Department, wool-classing .seems to be one of the most popular. Some of the soldiers are taking it up with a view to going into the wool business when their medical treatment is complete, and they can be discharged, but; most of them secure this useful information with the idea of utilising knowledge when they take up land under Government assistance and become farmers. Air W. T. Humbly, a wool-class-ing expert engaged by the Auckland Education Board, is making a tour of the North Island, giving instruction to soldiers and civilians . He made a good start with a soldiers’ class at the hospital at Kamo Springs., His Auckland class for soldiers is well attended, and at Rotorua the soldier pupils numbered eighteen. The same expert may be ■engaged to give a course of instruction to the parents at Trentham orthopaedic hospital.', A His intensive course, extending over a fortnight, enables the pupils to obtain a good grasp of the subjept, In Christchurch a special instructor has been appointed to hold classes for soldiers only, and the -use of a wool-store owned by one of the large firms has been secured. As a large number of soldiers have expressed a desire to' attend, this class will be well attended. > At Hanmer, where instruction is

given in farming generally, a woolshed is being built for the purpose of wool-sorting classes. The manager of this farm, who was formerly an instructor at Lincoln College, has written a book on the subject of wool-classing, which he hopes tho Agricultural Department will publish. A simple text-book on this branch of farming knowledge would be greatly appreciated by many soldiers who arc desirous of taking up farming. Instruction' in wool-classing for the soldier patients at Tim am is to be given at the Technical School, and here again a large class is anticipated. There is also a well attended class in the same subject at the Dunedin Technical School. The interest created by these classes among returned soldiers will, it is hoped, induce a number of them to settle on the land. If (hey become farmers the knowledge gained will be of substantial value when they have woolsheds of their own.