H—37

setting out courses satisfactorily completed. The courses included on the certificate do not include those for which diplomas or certificates are normally issued by the examining l bodies concerned. The details of the courses are not set out on the certificate, but reference is made to the R.N.Z.A.F. Educational Handbook, in which synopses of all such courses are published. (ix) Public Examinations. —Facilities for the conduct of public examinations have continued to be available over the past year, both within New Zealand and overseas. Among those who sat overseas were candidates in Great Britain, India, and the Pacific. Approximately 400 Air Force candidates sat for the 1945 University Examinations. (x) General.—The Advisory Sub-committee in London of the Education Committee of the Rehabilitation Board has now ceased operation, but there are still quite a large number of R.N.Z.A.F. personnel on short-term attachment to colleges and business houses in England as part of their pre-rehabilitation training. Aik Training Corps Authority to form the A.T.O. in New Zealand was received from "War Cabinet in February, 1941. At this time New Zealand had very extensive commitments in so far as the number of aircrew required to meet the Empire Training Scheme, and it was considered that the formation of an A.T.C. in New Zealand would be of considerable help in meeting these commitments. The first two squadrons were formed on the 15th September, 1941, both being squadrons in Wellington. A fortnight later three more squadrons were formed in Auckland. The A.T.C. was open for membership to lads between the ages of sixteen and eighteen years. By this time nearly two thousand lads had signified their willingness to join the A.T.C. on a voluntary basis. By April, 1942, just seven months after the first squadron was formed, 140 Cadets had lodged war-service applications, and arrangements were made for the first intake of aircrew to be accepted by the R.N.Z.A.F. —this was for June, 1942. By December, 1942, the strength of the A.T.C. had grown to 5,766 Cadets. Six hundred and sixty-one had been mobilized to the R.N.Z.A.F., and, in addition, there was also a list of 724 Cadets awaiting enlistment to the R.N.Z.A.F. By May, 1943, 1,537 Cadets had been mobilized into the R.N.Z.A.F. The peak strength of the A.T.C. was reached in May, 1944, with a strength of 9,244, which meant that one lad in every seven in the age-groups for A.T.C. belonged to the organization on a voluntary basis. Up to VE Day, A.T.C. had mobilized approximately 3,500 Cadets to the R.N.Z.A.F. The strength of the Air Training Corps during the period under review has decreased from 7,581 to 5,882. The loss of 1,698 Cadets was primarily due to the cessation of hostilities and to the fact that the R.N.Z.A.F. would require noi further intakes for aircrew meantime. The Correspondence Section of the Air Training Corps was disbanded, as there was no further need for aircrew Cadets. A total of 131 aircrew and 233 non-flying Cadets were mobilized to the R.N.Z.A.F. for the period. With the closing-down of many R.N.Z.A.F. stations, ample surplus training equipment has been made available to all units. Women's Auxiliary Air Force The New Zealand Women's Auxiliary Air Force was established in January, 1941, for the purpose of filling certain clerical, administrative, and domestic posts in the R.N.Z.A.F., and thus releasing fit male personnel for active service. The scheme was an unqualified success, and it can safely

11