RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 92, 11 January 1918, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS

TOTAL TO DATE 14,240

WHAJ HAS BEEN DONE FOR THEM

A statement issued last night by tho Attorney-General (the Hou. A. L. Herdman), vho'is-' the Minister in Charge of the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department, shows that n) together 14,' M) Now Zealand soldiers, sick or wounded, have returnee! to ; the Dominion. When the previous return was inado up to November 29 last tho number of men that i.ad arrived back from the' front was 11,981,' and the "large increase which the figures to-day show is duo to the recent arrival of five transports with 50m0.226G men aboard. Tfre details of the Minister's statement showing tho Department's classification' of the 'returned men make interesting reading. Of the' 14,240 meii on the ' Department's register 10,195 have been disposed of; 1639 are under action, and 2406 are not ready for action. ' ' The 'last-mentioned men (2406) includes over 2200 men who have returned to New Zealand during the past fortnight. •-••':• Cases Disposed Of. ' The following, are the particulars of how the cases have been dealt with by the .Department:— (a) Men who have work to return to, or have re-on-listed or returned to military'duty,, etc." '. ■ 4,491 (b) Men placed in ' employment / (statement for -current month attached) ..' 2,199 (c) Men who have signed "as- ,' sistance not required" ... 2,464 (d) Left r> T ew Zealand ■or cannot ascertain'address .... 347 (e) Men who have- not responded- to repeated communi- . . cations, 'and men ' who have 'accepted work the Department ■ found for them, but failed to start work r .....1..:..-....; 894

Total 10,19-5 Gases Under Action, (a). Iteports upon cases not yet returned by officers making inquiries '-.-!■;: 497 (b) Awaiting further advice (iu-' , chiding men who elmve stated that they are not. yet ready for work) 923 (c) At prosent on "employment wanted register" (as per. statement attached) 119 ' Total ■.. 1639 Cases Not Ready For Action. Mien convalescing,, not ready for employment, and nut yet discharged by the military authorities 2406 Commenting upon the return to a Dominion representative, the Hon. Mr. Herdman said that very satisfac-

Tory work was being douo by his Department in the settlement of the men who have been returned. With tho I'splendid assistance many employers of labour were giving, combined with tho schemes prepared by the Department for the reabsorption of tho men, there were no difficulties imme-. diately ahead of the Department that could not, he thought, be surmounted. If all employers of labour would notify the Department when a man was wanted,- they would not only bo assisting the Government but the?"'would bo discharging very good sorvico to thoir country.

Of the 219 men shown in tho statement as needing employment, most of them, said the Minister, had just been discharged from tho Army. Until men were actually discharged tho .Department could not take any action in regard to securine; them employment. He expressed no doubt that during - tho present month all theso men would be absorbed in some employment suited to their qualifications and condition.