RETURN TO CIVIL LIFE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23771, 17 October 1942, Page 4

RETURN TO CIVIL LIFE

EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER PROBLEMS

RECOMMENDATIONS PREPARED FOR COMMENT

Ten recommendations on means of meeting problems of the return of men and women to civil life after the war, particularly as interrupted studies and apprenticeships are concerned, were submitted to a second conference convened by the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association last evening. The recommendations, prepared by a sub-committee from the first conference of bodies interested in the problems .recently, were, on approval, to have lieen submitted to the Government through the Dominion headquarters of the association. Several delegates, however, stated last evening that their organisations had not had the opportunity to discuss the proposals. and the recommendations, as approved by the meeting, will be submitted to the various bodies for their views, after which a third conference will be held next month. Suggestions Approved Recommendations approved by the meeting with little discussion and no major criticism were: — “That young men and women now in the armed forces should have the best educational courses possible without undue interference with their courses of military training, and that immediate steps be taken to appoint a sufficient number of vocational and educational officers to carry out this work: where possible the work to be supplemented by the use of the facilities of universities and technical colleges which are adjacent to service training centres.” “That a full-time or part-time student whose career would be benefited by his being allowed to complete the year of study in which he attains the age of 18 years should be allowed to do so.” , , “That the accommodation and educational facilities of the Technical Colleges should be improved now to enable them to deal with educational requirements as soon as they arise.” “That a special youth rehabilitation committee working under the jurisdiction of the Rehabilitation Board should be set up in each centre to deal with the education and placement of young men and women, to work in’close cooperation with the youth centres.” “That it should immediately be made permissible for youth centres to undertake the guidance and placement of other men (those over 18) as well as women up to the age of 21 years.” “That full consideration should be given to the continuation of adult apprenticeship schemes for returned servicemen and women.” “That practical encouragement should be given to soldiers serving overseas to remain overseas to further their studies and experience after the war,” Practicability Questioned

A further recommendation was not approved in the form presented, and after a discussion in committee it was referred to a sub-committee for redrafting. The recommendation as presented. “That all apprentices on discharge from the armed forces should receive the same remuneration as they would have been receiving had they continued at their trades, but that they should be afforded opportunities to be examined by an apprenticeship committee who shall decide whether they are competent tradesmen or not; otherwise they should be classified as apprentices until they have served their full time at their trades.” Two other recommendatipns were approved in amended form after considerable discussion in which a number of the delegates expressed doubts about the practicability of the proposals. These two were:— , “That the school leaving age should be raised to 16 years immediately at the end of the war; that where necessary adequate maintenance should be provided; and that children should be excluded by law from gainful occupation up to that age.” “That the armed forces should be demobilised gradually after the war to allow the older men and women with good employment experience to be discharged first and to be absorbed into suitable positions. The younger ones with little or no employment experience, except those who had approved positions to go to, should be maintained in camps and put through educational courses of a vocational character to enable them to be absorbed when they are discharged.”