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To the Parent or Guardian of:- Master M. N. Terakes

Dear Sir/Madam,

As you are aware your son was interviewed during September, 1961, by a Board of Officers for selection as en Engineering Apprentice in the Royal Australia Air Force. Advice has been received from Headquarters Support Command RAAF Melbourne that your son has been selected for training.

2. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you as the parent of one of our prospective apprentices and to assure you that he will. receive the best of care and personal attention during his stay at RAAF Base, Wagga.

3. You will receive separate advice in regard to the travel arrangements to this School for your son, and also the details of the articles of  personal kit he should bring with him for the trip, such as a towel, soap, tooth brush and pajamas.  He will also require these items for the first few days after arrival prior to his being kitted with Service clothing and equipment. He should carry a minimum of civilian clothing as apprentices do ;not wear civilian clothing whilst at this School.

4. It would be of considerable assistance to your son if, prior to his arrive at this School he could be given some basic instruction in the laundering of clothing with particular application to the ironing of shirts and in simple repairs such as the sewing on of buttons
and darning of socks.

5. Laundry and dry cleaning facilities are both available at reasonable costs at the School. However, some of the boys prefer to do their own laundry.

6. For your information I am setting out the pay rates for apprentices and I would suggest that you encourage your boy to be thrifty and save either by making an allotment from his pay to one of his parents or to a Savings Bank Account. It is necessary that at least £2.0.0 per fortnight should remain in his pay book for drawing by him on pay days and therefore the aunt of allotment should be limited accordingly. I would suggest that an allotment of £2.2.0 per fortnight is a reasonable one, but the exact amount is left entirely to your discretion.

7. The Apprentice rates of pay, (which include laundry allowance), are:-
(a) First Year Apprentice £ 9. 5. 8 per fortnight
(On turning 18 years of age) £ 9.13.8 per fortnight
(b) Second Year Apprentice £10. 6. 8 per fortnight
(On turning 18 years of age) £10.13.8 per fortnight
(o) Third Year Apprentice £11.11, 8 per fortnight
(On turning 18 years of age) £11.18.8 per fortnight.
Further, during the lads first year of service an additional amount of 5/- pay is set aside as deferred pay. On commencing second year 'training and continuing through third year, the rate of deferred pay is increased to 1% per pay The total money set aside in paid to each apprentice at the completion of his three years course, and normally amounts to approximately £30.00,

8. As you may possibly be aware, apprentices are granted a total of six weeks leave each year in two periods. Two weeks at mid year and four weeks at Christmas. In addition, it is usual for lads whose parents ride within a reasonable travelling distance of the School, eg. Melbourne or Sydney, to be permitted to go home for the Easter break.

9, It is the policy of this base that all apprentices attend church each Sunday morning. Two chapels (one Protestant and one Roman Catholic) are available on the Base. Two full time RAAF Chaplains are in attendance in addition to two part time chaplains provided by the churches in Wagga. It is anticipated that you will concur with this arrangement.

10: At the conclusion of your sons first nix months training and every six months thereafter, you pill receive a comprehensive "half yearly" report covering his activities at this School. Normally these reports will provide all the necessary information required on his progress and it has been found through previous experience that considerable benefit accrues from the discussion of
these reports by parents with their sons, particularly if they are weak in some subjects. It is our policy to encourage apprentices to write freely to their parents., and moreover, we appreciate parents corresponding with the School on any problem
that may arise.

11, Please do not hesitate, therefore, to write to me if you feel rue can enlighten you on any matter concerning your sons future in the Royal Australian Air Force, The appropriate address is: •
The Commanding Officer
RAAF School of Technical Training
RAAF Base
WAGGA 3S NSW

Signed
(CV Smith)
For Commanding Officer