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new occupations for the men, great care must be exercised in considering the medical, technical, economic, and personal factors. Briefly, the scope of the educational and vocational training includes the following groups : — (a.) Partially disabled soldiers who owing to war services are unable to resume their per-war occupations. (6.) Those who enlisted at a comparatively early age and had not acquired a trade or calling, or who are engaged in dying industries. (c.) Apprentices whose indentures were interrupted by war service. (d.) Soldiers' widows. The Department takes advantage of the facilities available at technical schools, University colleges, and other institutions, and lias in addition established special classes in a number of subjects in the main centres. The controlling authorities and staffs of the various technical schools are doing everything possible to assist the Department, which is grateful for their hearty co-operation. (1.) Subsidized Workers. One very important activity is the training of men in' the various private workshops, factories, &c, by the help of subsidized wages. The employer undertakes to train the applicant in the particular trade or calling, and pay the trainee a wage as fixed by a wages committee consisting of a representative of the trades-union concerned, the employer, and a representative of the Repatriation Department. The difference between the employer's wage and £3 per week is made up by the Department, such subsidy being quite irrespective of any pension allowance which the trainee is receiving. The wages paid by the employer are reviewed quarterly by the wages committee, and any increase granted during the currency of the permit is paid to the trainee and does not affect the Government subsidy. A proportion of the subsidy payable (amounting to ss. per week) is retained by the Department, and is paid to the trainee on the satisfactory completion of the training. Instruction under this heading has been most successful, and it has been found that in the majority of cases men can earn the minimum award rate in about twelve months. If, however, the trainee has not completed his instruction in that period, facilities are provided for an extension of the time up to a period of a further twelve months. Amongst the trades being taught the following may be mentioned : Tailoring, bootmaking, watchmaking, wire-mattress making, electrical engineering, bag and trunk, making, carpentry, wire-weaving, electrical drafting, farming, photography, wicker-working, plumbing, f'renchpolishing, vulcanizing, hairdressing, machinery salesman, drapery, wool-classing, sheet-metal working, motor-car and coach painting, cabinetmaking, sailraaking, motor mechanics, dental mechanics, &*. Under this scheme, which is greatly assisted by the co-operation of the various trades-unions, training and employment have been arranged for a total of 3,211 men, and at the present time 2,249 are actually being trained in workshops and factories throughout the Dominion. (2.) Technical Schools and Special Soldiers' Classes. The Department has been fortunate in having the valued co-operation of the Education Department and the Boards, Directors, and staffs of the technical schools throughout the Dominion. A discharged soldier may receive free tuition in almost any subject at the technical colleges, and the men have not been slow to lake advantage of tin; facilities offered for learning their chosen trades or for bettering their positions and prospects. Most soldier students work, at their trades in the daytime and attend the technical classes in their spare time, but special soldiers' classes have been formed in the principal centres for disabled men who have to learn entirely new trades. At these classes thorough instruction is given in engineering (electrical, motor, mechanical), sheetmetal work, boot making and repairing, and commercial work (book-keeping, correspondence, and general office practice). The workshops are well equipped with up-to-date machinery, and the instructors are the best obtainable in their particular line. These classes are in most cases controlled by the technical schools through the Education Department, the Repatriation Department providing the funds for instructors, equipment, and for the trainees' sustenance. " Thoroughness " is the principle in all classes, which have all the equipment necessary to put theory into practice. Sustenance to Trainees. —Sustenance is paid to technical trainees as follows : —When attending special soldiers' classes thirty hours or more per week: Soldier, £2 10s. per week; wife, 10s.; children (not exceeding four), each 3s. 6d. per week, plus pension. When attending ordinary technical school classes (under thirty hours per week) : Soldier, £2 10s. per week ; wife, 10s. per week; cihldren (not exceeding four), each 3s. 6d. per week, inclusive of pension. Men. trained under this system in special classes move on to offices, workshops, or factories, in which they may have their wages subsidized until they are fully qualified workers. Others may go direct into such positions, with similar help, without any preliminary course in the classes. This direct method —"straight to the job "—has been found suitable for a large number of discharged soldiers who usually take additional free instruction at technical schools, &0., in their spare time. Instruction (with sustenance) under this particular scheme has been arranged for 1,461 men to date, and there are 978 men receiving finaucial assistance whilst attending classes at the present time.

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