SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1919, Page 6

SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL.

PROGRESS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

Wellington, Last Night. Reports from the vocation officers on the educational and vocational training of soldiers under hospital treatment show that throughout New Zealand this system is working well, and that increased interest is being taken by the men. The scheme aims at giving them occupation and practical instruction while undergoing medical treatment, and in training them for their life after discharge. How those objects are being achieved at Hanmer is recorded by the manager of the training farm; who reports: "This month, our first, has been a very successful one. The men display great interest in their work, and attend regularly and punctually. { The position, as numbers have informed me, is that before these classes were started they used to be just waiting and looking forward to their discharge, whereas now they are dreading the day when they will have to go out."

The co-ordination of the work of the educational and vocational training branch with the Repatriation Board's system will enable the men to carry on their training, if necessary, after their discharge, so that they need have no apprehension about being able to complete the good work begun in hospital. In Auckland nine classes are conducted in connection with the hospital annexe, the subjects being baaket-work, leatherwork, poker-work, stock diseases, motor engineering, poultry farming, woodwork, economics and general education. There are also 17 men attending out-classes at the Technical School, and three taking subjects at the University, while another is taking an engineering course by correspondence. Seventy per cent, of the students of motor engineering are out-patients, and this class is succeeding so well that the number* of weekly lessons will be increased.

As the number of patients at Epsom Convalescent Home is small, there are no classes at the institution, but two patients are being trained in wool-clash-ing at the technical school, five are taking courses at the Elam School of Art, and one is studying accountancy. A wool-classing course has been started at Kamo sanatorium with ten students.

Rotorua is a busy centre of training. Classes in twenty subjects are in operation, and the attendances in May totalled 2212. The Auckland vpcational officer reports that practically all the demand is for vocational subjects. He notes the increased interest in educational and vocational training scheme now being taken by the hospital outpatients. The classes in farming conducted by Mr. Lyons have been particularly successful, the men being bo keen that he arranged with Mr. Burton of the Agricultural Department to give seven more lectures. As an indication of the interest taken it is mentioned that 28 men made attendances totalling 309. The vocation officer adds that the publicity given by the press to the vocational training scheme has recently resulted in many inquiries being made by out-patients.

At Trentham, which will eventually become a large centre for orthopaedic treatment, a complete plant for the making of splints and surgical appliances has been installed. Workshops have been built, and instructors in carpentry and basket-making are conducting classes. A hutment is being fitted up for engineering classes, and a motor car obtained for instructional purposes. Thirteen men are attending the Wellington Technical' School, and some of the patients in the Miramar Hospital are obtaining _ instruction in book-keeping handicrafts. Soldier patients at Napier are being given opportunities to improve their education a t the local technical school, as well as in classes which have been Btarted at the hospital.