VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1919, Page 5

VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

PROGRESS Ol<> THE' SCHEME. Wellington, Last Night I The officer in charge of educational and vocational training for returned toldiera has completed his investigations in the Auckland district) and is now in the South Island accompanied by Colonel Christie. Hiß preliminary report upon the prospects in Auckland ia of «a encouraging nature, showing a. keen desire on the part of the medical and educational authorities to facilitate an argent and valuable work for the men .who have done so much for the Dominion and the Empire. Occupational and vocational training for the men in hospital 'is thoroughly approved by the medical officers at the 'hospitals. They consider such a scheme urgently required to prevent the mental , and physical apathy which is so marked a characteristic of the soldiers in hospital. They are of opinion that regular < occupation for the mind and body Will be an important factor in ensuring the speedy recovery of the soldiers, who auffor not only bodily disabilities, but from the inevitable reaction after the excitement and strain of active Berries. Though a good deal of practical work is already being done, the general lines of the scheme are still being shaped or modified as conditions require. For instance, the methods of selecting a solnew occupation were fully discussed with the medwal and educational ■ ' authorities in Auckland. It was con-

sidered desirable that the soldier, shortly after his arrival in hospital, should, if be' is fit, be again interviewed by a medical officer and a vocational officer, supplementing similar inquiries made in Sagland, and that the question of his future occupation should be considered both from a medical and a practicable point of Tiew. It is essential that a soldier's mind should be turned towards his future career as soon aB possible, and that once his occupation has been decided, every facility should be given, both in providing technical books and by vocational training, to arouse his interest in his future work, laying a foundation of knowledge which might be completed after discharge. SUBJECTS FOR INSTRUCTION.

Occupational subjects come first in the list, and arrangements have been made to give instruction to tbe soldiers in Auckland Hospital in basket-making, earring, leather work, repousee work, and .also, if need arises, for needlework; knitting, and embroidery work. Qarden-

ing is considered a very suitable occupation for the men, and it is hoped that Mr Pearson, the City Council's gardener, who is an enthusiast on the subject, will ibe able to take classes and instil into the invalided soldiers an interest in flowers and trees. Photography is also a subject which can be taught with advantage, and arrangements to do tE« in Auckland are in train-

A limited amount of carpentry has been done in the Auckland Hospital annexe under the aegis of the Red Cross Society. A permanent instructor has been engaged. An instructor in boot repairing is to be provided, and other subjects which will probably be taken up ■ are architecture and building, sign-* ,- writing, and levelling and surveying. There is a great scope for the soldier in farming, and it, has Men arranged that Color.el Lyons, district superintend. _ ent of the Department of Agriculture shall organise and compile instructions! for the courses. He considers that the most suitable in thto courw would be a follows: — 1. Dairying.

2. Agricultural farming. 3. Bee farming I Poultry faming. 5. Fruit farming. <i. (Sheep mid cattle (breads ana management). 7. Stud stock. 8. Pigs. . 0. Horses. 10. Diseases. * 11, Soldiers' settlements.

■Major Grant, deputy superintendent ot Auckland Hospital, lias undertaken to, lecture on horsemanship and stable manHgenent If a class is required for wool sorting, Mr, George Cieprge, director of the Technical School, who is giving very valuable aid to the scheme, will arrange it.

Among the returned men there is a great demand for instruction in typewriting and shorthand, which at the molnent it is found difficult to meet, ovr-i ing to a shortage of instructor*. To show the demand for this class of instruction, the officer in charge of voca« tional training mentions that Borne months ago forty soldiers at the Auckland annexe aimed a petition asking that they should receive instruction in book-keeping and similar subject*. Then there is the important aspect of improving the general knowledge of sol* diers in hospital. A number have already asked for opportunities of doing this during the enforced idleness of convalescence, ■Some are in the position of requiring a certain amount of study to qualify for the matriculation or civil service exam* linationw It has therefore been decided to engage for the Auckland men a tutor ■who wfU give his whole time to this important work. Arrangements- have been taade fttiugajusi&g classes in university subjects. In the work in Auckland, the Be&ajsd Soldiers' Association Juu been consulted and Mkad to assist, and the mpense has bean thoroughly Mtisfac. ton; Tte after in educational ia*J fatting ttowrying on hj» . work throughout Sew Ztafcnd organisitw Mm aeheme «n <*« ""■yjtyfttfu"fal *ffi ::