FUTURE AIRMEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23769, 24 September 1940, Page 9

FUTURE AIRMEN

EDUCATIONAL training RAPID EXPANSION REVIEW by minister [BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Monday Expansion of /the educational training scheme for airmen pilots, air ob6errers and air gunners was discussed the Minister of Defence, Hon. F. jongs, in an interview this evening. ITe a lso referred to the adoption by Australia of the New Zealand scheme. Xo. 3 course men commenced the preliminary educational training on September 9 and 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. Classes and Correspondence " As indicating the rapid growth of this phase the Minister said_ that at the 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 ff £re 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. Of- the present total of over 3000 jneu 171S were receiving instruction in 61 classes which,/ have been organised throughout the Dominion. Of these 61 -roups 15 were located in Auckland and 14 in Wellington and Hutt Valley. Ihe number on the correspondence courses was at present 1354. All men 0 n the educational courses were, of fourse, carrying on with their ordinary jobs until it was necessary to draft them to the ground training school at Levin. f Signal Training In Full Swing Signal training, to which he had referred in previous statements, was now jn full .swing, the Minister continued. The Director of Educational Services, Jlr. 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 wore receiving instruction in these classes under nearly 200 instructors, all officers of the department. j n 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 signaling instruction was being broadcast. ■ It was quite evident already, Mr. Jdnes stated, 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.

SERVICE TO TROOPS .'APPRECIATION OF Y.M.C.A. •' ACTIVITIES IN ENGLAND (From the Official War Correspondent with tho lie? Zealand Forces in Britain) ALDERSHOT, August 19 .--Since the arrival of Mr. H. W. Shore, overseas* commissioner of the New Zealand Y.M.C.A., the association's war services in the United Kingdom have been further extended. Mr. Shore's headquarters are in London, but he is a frequent visitor to the several camps, where three field secretaries are free to develop day-to-day aid to the troops. _ -A canteen service is being established in the camps this week. The New Zealand soldier is loyal to the Y.M.C.A. He may have had nothing to do with it in civil life, but overseas he has grown to appreciate what it offers him —a place to read and write, books, magazines, pen and ink, paper and envelopes. Then on long route marches or manoeuvres there are the tea-vans, always sure of a cheer as they come round the corner. Tea is dispensed free, and the vans each carry enough for a %yliole battalion without refilling. Cigarettes, tobacco and chocolate are sold.

Films aro screened as a weekly attraction in all camps unless we ars away on manoeuvres. The placarded invitation to "spend your leave in an English home" indicates another new Y.M. service. A "find-your-relatives" bureau has also been established at London headquarters, and does its best to put soldiers on the track of relatives with whom they and their New Zealand homes'may have lost touch in the course of the years.

RECRUITS , FOR OVERSEAS MORE MEN WANTED [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Monday A further 30 men are required in the Hamilton area for the Fourths Reinforcements, and selections will bo made from the surplus above those already warned for mobilisation. Men in this class who volunteered before July 22 and who have been passed as fit may apply to be included in the next draft for camp.,.

ASSISTANCE OP MAORIS VALUE IN HOME DEFENCE Tlie eagerness of his race to take part in New Zealand's home defence organ---isation was emphasised by > a Maori member of a deputation which waited on the Minister oMnternal Affairs, the Hon. TV. E. Parry, yesterday. The jnetnber of the deputation said the Defence Department was missing a great chance by not calling upon the Maojis for assistance. • All New Zealand war veterans, he said, knew the Maori's sagacity in war in pence and "his wonderful knowledge of the coast of the Dominion. He would recommend the enrolment of all fit Maoris in the national defence scliom'o and would suggest that they b 0 allotted to coastal work.

knitting for troops MITTENS NEEDED MOST Guidance ag to requirements in the *ay of knitted articles for the forces Abroad was contained in a letter from the National Patriotic Fund Board, received at Inst night's meeting of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council. board stated that the most Urgently needed articles were mittens, ail d it was requested that all suitable w °ol delivered to zones, other than aav .V blue wool, be knitted into them. Wool not suited for mittens should be used for making scarves, balaclavas ar >d pullovers, in accordance with the Patterns already circulated. Navy blue Wool should, ' wherever suitable, be knitted into long-sleeved pullovers. Tf *>ot suitable for this purpose, it should be made into scarves and Balaclavas.