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Al Technical Schools. On the recommendation of the Department partially disabled soldiers desirous of learning a new j trade arc. granted free places in the technical schools, and in approved cases a special allowance of £1 per week (over and above pension) is paid by the Department during the period of training. Up to date allowances have been granted in 211 cases, and the results of the training have, been very satisfactory. In addition to the men who are devoting their whole time to their tuition and who are drawing the Department's allowance, a, large number of men have availed themselves of thej opportunity of receiving free tuition and are, or have been, attending classes in the evening. Training in Book-keeping and Gene/rail Office Practice. The New Zealand Society of Accountants in 1916 generously undertook to train partially disabled soldiers desirous of taking up clerical work. The training provided was the course prescribed for the. Book-keepers' Diploma of the New Zealand University, and, in addition to providing all the, necessary instruction free, the, society undertook, to pay the examination fees of any student recommended by the instructor to sit for the examination. Unfortunately the results obtained are not considered commensurate with the expenditure involved, and after giving the, scheme a fair trial for over two years the society has been reluctantly compelled to withdraw the offer as from the, Ist December next. Men who have commenced their training will be given the opportunity of completing the course, but no new students will be accepted after that date. The, society has expended some hundreds of pounds on the scheme, and it is a, matter for profound regret that the, results have been so disappointing. Out of some three, hundred men who have accepted training under the society's scheme only two have so far qualified for the diploma, while twelve have entered for the forthcoming examination in November. Although the figures are very poor from an examination point of view, it should be stated that quite a number of the men have improved their position and nave benefited materially by the tuition provided. Training on Stale Farms. In 1915 arrangements were made through the Department of Agriculture for the training on State farms of men who wished to take up special branches of farm-work such as bee-keeping, poultry-farming, orchard-work, &c. Discharged soldiers accredited by the Department are given free training, and are provided with board and lodging on the farm. Should, however, such accommodation not be available the. Discharged Soldiers' Information Department pays the man a special boarding-allowance of £1 per week to enable him to live in the neighbourhood. Applications for training have not been very numerous, but have increased somewhat during the past few months, and there are at present some twenty men being trained at, the Ruakura Farm of Instruction, Hamilton. Training in Workshops, Factories, &c An important training scheme was inaugurated in December last, when an Order in Council was gazetted (authorizing the employment in workshops, factories, &c, at less than the union wage (for the purposes of training) of partially disabled soldiers who arc unable to resume their pre-war occupations. Under this scheme the Department subsidizes the wage, paid by the employer, in order to assure the disabled soldier an income (after the trial period) of £3 per week over and above his pension. During the trial period, which must not exceed two months, the man's wage is made up by this Department to £2 10s. per week. The wages to be paid by the employer are fixed by the Inspector of Factories after a, conference at. which the employer, the disabled soldier, the Labour Department, the labour union concerned, the Returned Soldiers' Association, and the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department are represented, and such wage is reviewed periodically, care being taken that the amount paid is an equitable one in relation to the work being done by the man. Half the Department's subsidy is paid to the man monthly, and the other half is retained by the, Department and is accumulated to his credit until such time as he satisfactorily completes this training, when the accumulated portion is paid to him as a bonus. During the period of training, which (except in special cases) is limited to twelve months, the Inspector of Factories is required to visit the man periodically in order thai; he may satisfy himself that the man is being properly trained and is making good progress. Any increase in wages granted by the employer during the trainingperiod does not affect the Government subsidy, but goes to increase the income of the, soldier, who in most cases is "receiving £4 to £5 per week inclusive of pension. Up to date financial assistance lias been authorized in 107 cases, and over a, hundred, men are at present receiving training in workshops and factories throughout the Dominion. Amongst the trades being taught arc the following : Tailoring, bootmaking, watchmaking, wire-mattress making, electrical engineering, leather bag and trunk making, vulcanizing, halrdressing, motor mechanics, wool-classing, sheet-metal working, motor-car and coach painting, cabinctniaking, sajlmaking, electrical drafting, photography, farming, wickerwork and perambulator making, plumbing, carpentry, wireweaving, french-polishing, drapery salesmen, dental mechanics, signwriting, hatmaking, &c, Training of Partially Disabled Men with Practical Farmers. The Department is fully alive to the importance of persuading partially disabled men, especially those suffering from nervous diseases, lung trouble, &c., to accept employment in the country, and with this end in view the Department assists such men under the subsidized-wages scheme mentioned
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