AT SCHOOL AGAIN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21226, 24 September 1940, Page 7

AT SCHOOL AGAIN

MEN FOR AIR CREWS MORE THAN 3000 IN CLASSES SIGNALLING INSTRUCTION (By Telegraph.—Tress Association) WELLINGTON, Monday Expansion of the educational training scheme for airmen pilots, air observers and air gunners was discussed by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in an interview this evening. He also referred to the adoption by Australia of the New Zealand scheme. No. 3 course men commenced the preliminary educational training on September 9. With the addition of this group a total of 3102 men was undergoing training in mathematics and science, either in various air force classes throughout the Dominion or on correspondence courses. Of these 1817 were provisionally classified as pilots or observers and 1285 as air gunners. As indicating the rapid growth of this phase the Minister said that at the end of June only some 700 or 800 of the men selected for air crew were receiving this educational training. Almost all of these had now passed the necessary educational tests and were either at the ground training school at Levin, at one of the flying training schools or were waiting to be posted to the ground training school. Auckland District Groups Of the present total of over 3000 men, 1718 were receiving instruction in 61 classes which had been organised throughout the Dominion. Of these 61 groups 15 were located in the Auckland district and 14 in Wellington and Hutt Valley. The number on the correspondence courses was at present 1384. All men on the educational courses were, of course, carrying on with their ordinary jobs until it was necessary to draft them to the ground training school at Levin. Signal training, to which he had referred in previous statements, was now in full swing, the Minister continued. The Director of Educational Services, Mr E. Caradus, had made arrangements with the Post and Telegraph Department to establish some 75 signalling classes in various towns of the Dominion. About 2214 men were receiving instruction in these classes under nearly 200 instructors, all officers of the department. In order to provide the necessary signal training for those men in small centres who could not be grouped into classes, suitable arrangements had been made with the National Broadcasting Service and signalling instruction was being broadcast. Ground Personnel It was quite evident already, Mr Jones stated, that as a result of the work done in the classes and over the air no difficulty would be experienced in getting every man going on to the ground training school at Levin up to at least eight words a minute in Morse signalling, both sending and receiving. In conclusion the Minister stated that although most of his previous statements in regard to educational training had had reference to air crew the interests of the ground personnel were not being neglected. Education officers were attached to all air force stations and were available for instruction of members of the ground personnel.