PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 33 



Each committee has the exercise of power inasmuch as 

 it is responsible for the assessment of the value of the 

 trainees' progress in efficiency. This assessment is a very 

 important matter, since upon it is based the relative pro- 

 portions of the wages, paid in accord with the Industrial 

 Court Awards, which shall be borne by the employer and 

 by the Department. The committees in the discharge of 

 the duties allotted to them were brought very closely into 

 touch with the smallest details of the training operations. 

 The work of the Department was thus not only greatly 

 helped, but thoroughly understood by ail who were members 

 of the committees. As a result, the great body of workers 

 in the different callings and the employers were kept in 

 touch with what was being done, so that knowledge brought 

 sympathy and help instead of the inevitable restlessness 

 and opposition which would have arisen as a result of 

 ignorance. The committees, though of an honorary char- 

 acter, had an official standing in the department, so that 

 influence was real and could not be disregarded. The 

 result was that they had a very good effect in keeping all 

 the ramifications of the training operations up to a good 

 standard of effective working. Whilst always ready to 

 allow for the difficulties which the staff of the Department 

 and those controlling the schools met with on every hand 

 in carrying on the training, the members were frankly 

 critical at all times, and really severe when avoidable 

 mistakes were made. Altogether, 144 of these committees 

 were established in various parts of the Commonwealth, 

 and have continued to work unceasingly in the discharge 

 of the functions and powers given to them* This has meant 

 that the members have sacrificed much time and given 

 freely of their abilities in a most praiseworthy manner. It 

 would have been quite impossible to have done without 

 such help. It is therefore not without reason that the 

 officers of the Repatriation Department have the greatest 



C-May4, 1921. 



