PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



31 



Mention has already been made of the Soldiers' Industrial 

 Oommittees. It is now proposed to describe the important 

 part taken by these committees in the work of the voca- 

 tional training of returned soldiers. At the very inception 

 of the Repatriation Department it was recognised that 

 any attempt to train returned men must have the approval 

 and assistance of all who were working at or directing the 

 callings for which the men were to be trained. Moreover, 

 it was realised that the necessary help would only be 

 forthcoming provided that there was a definite relationship 

 established between the work of the department and the 

 various associations and societies representing the 

 employers and employees in the different callings. The 

 recognition of the necessity for this co-operation and the 

 decision to establish a relationship between the industrial 

 work of the country and the training operations of the 

 department was one of the finest things among the many 

 to the credit of those who set the work of the department 

 into going order. Without this kind of help it would have 

 been impossible to solve the many problems arising out of 

 a proposal so novel in character and bristling with so many 

 industrial difficulties. It was with the object in view of 

 learning what was the general nature of the relationship 

 which should be set up, and of getting advice as to the best 

 way of preparing to meet the outstanding difficulties due 

 to industrial customs and laws, that one of the two con- 

 ferences already referred to was called. Amongst many 

 recommendations of a fundamental nature, as regards the 

 training, was one for the establishment of Oommittees of 

 Advice to be called Soldiers' Industrial Oommittees, formed 

 of representatives of employers and employees' organisa- 

 tions. Generally, the functions and powers of these com- 

 mittees were to advise as to the employment of the men 

 trained, and to assess their progress as the training pro- 

 ceeded. Later on, under the re-organised scheme, these 



