AIR TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 58, 5 September 1940, Page 13

AIR TRAINING

CANADIAN SCHEME

NEW ZEALANDERS' WELFARE

INITIAL PLANNING

While, in Canada on his way to Great Britain from New Zealand, LieutenantColonel F. Waite, overseas commissioner for the National Patriotic Fund Board, made a survey of preliminary arrangements for the Empire air training scheme, especially as they concerned New Zealanders. A report on this subject, written by LieutenantColonel Waite from Montreal on August 22, before he left for England, was before the standing committee of the National Patriotic Fund Board today. Lieutenant-Colonel Waite found that preliminary work already had been done by Group . Captain L. M. Isitt, who is the representative of the New Zealand Government on the advisory board set up to administer the Empire air scheme, Mrs. Isitt, and Mr. Firth, the New Zealand Trade Commissioner at Toronto. He said in his report that the Canadian V.M.C.A., financed out of the Canadian patriotic funds, runs the canteens and reading rooms at all Air Force stations and that women have organised hostess houses adjacent to each training centre to provide a social centre for men from the camps. Although it might not be necessary to contribute to the Canadian patriotic funds, he had asked Group Captain Isitt ta watch the position and see to it that New Zealanders in no way became ah imposition on the general Canadian scheme. Men in hospital would be a charge on the Government account, but if our men had to go to convalescent camps or other places, then some contribution might be necessary for this purpose. WORKING CO3MMITTEES. Regarding the setting up of working .committees to look after the welfare of the New Zealanders, LieutenantColonel Waite said he was sure a workable scheme would be evolved. The idea was to have a committee functioning in each main centre. Within this central committee would .be set up transport and hospitality sub-com-mittees. The transport sub-committee would compile . a list of motor-car owners who might be travelling at weekends from centres such as Montreal and Ottawa, and arrange, if possible, for free transport, of trainees froffi city to city or to holiday camps. Valuable work in initiating hospitality sub-committees had already been done by Mrs. Isitt in Ottawa and Mr. Firth in Toronto. The aim was to get a list of people who were willing to provide hospitality at weekends. As hotel charges were so high that our men could not afford as a general rule to stay at hotels when on leave, even on weekend leave, the hospitality subcommittees would do valuable work. Mr. Firth's office at Toronto was acting as a clearing house for all registrations in the meantime and anyone offering to help would be put on a register and their offers of assistance acknowledged. Obviously the work would develop when the first batch of t trainees was stationed. If training c camps were used on the Pacific coast, s similar1 arrangements must be made for Western Canada as for' Eastern Canada; '-• - .■<.>•.■■>■.>■.■■■:..■:-<■■ ■■ .-.-.,-.. ■■■■ .-■■■-■•■>■..■ s Lieutenant-Colonel Waite suggested r that for every man who proceeds to y Canada the National Patriotic Fund v Board should remit to Group Captain Isitt at Ottawa £1 (N.Z.) to establish v a regimental fund, which could be t< drawn on" as the commanding officer 3? thought fit. To v meet urgent claims that J might arise he suggested the placing ii of an initial sum of £250 to the credit n of Group Captain Isitt at Ottawa. As n further batches of trainees were dispatched, additional sums could be tl transmitted, and Group Captain Isitt c would be able to distribute these funds n to his training centres. b IN GOOD HANDS. J» Lieutenant-Colonel Waite added that j he was sure the welfare of our men a in Canada would-be well looked after a by Group Captain and Mrs. Isitt, Flight Lieutenant Rae (Group Cap- g tain Isitt's assistant), Mr. Firth, and his f, assistants, who had already, laid the a basis for an efficient co-operation with a Group' Captain Isitt. New Zealand was fortunate in having such representa- t" tives in Canada. t Lieutenant-Colonel Waite concluded t his report by stating that while he had c been in Montreal awaiting transport to o England he had been able to get into i touch with several ex-New Zealanders, t who would form a hospitality commit- fc tee there. v

The suggestions in the report are to be considered at the next meeting of the full board.