REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 19 September 1918, Page 6

REPATRIATION

PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE J CONSIDERED BY RETURNED SOLDIERS Some of the problems of repatriation wero mentioned by Mr. D. J. B. Seymour, general secretary of the Now Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, at a meeting of tho Wellingtoit Returned Soldiers' Association last night. Mr. Seymour said the association was concerned primarily with socuring fair treatment for returned soldiers. It was directly interested in repatriation, and its work in this connection brought it into touch with the great social and economic problems. He believed that tho present pensions scheme was well administered. The Pensions Board did its work fairly and often generously. Cases of hardship arose, but they wero not such as could be met by the Government or the board under the present conditions. They corresponded to the cases of hard luck found in civilian life. It could not be claimed fairly that men in uniform should be compensated 'for losses and disabilities that were not really the result .of military service. The problem of employment had to bp faced by tho association, said Mr. Seymour. This problem was connected Mimately with repatriation, and it was going to be pressing after the dose of the war. The Government was planning big public works, which would absorb many thousands of men in the years following the war. But schemes of this kind could not meet all the needs of the situation. Returned soldiers could riot fairly be required to tako makeshift work to which they were not accustomed before tho war. The community had to realise that radical charges in the social- organisation had been caused by the ivar, and that the (old conditions would not be restored after the war. Tho -withdrawal of tens of thousands of men had caused a shrinkage of production, the pooling of jobs, tho increased employment of women and other movements. It might bo found that when, say, 50,000 men come back for the jobs formerly held by 70,000 men, there would.not be enough jobs to go round. On the other hand there was no doubt that new industries capable of absorbing the whole of the 50,000 men could be established in New Zealand with advantage'to the whole community. An expert had said that tho leather industry aloiio could use 75,000 men in New Zealand if fully developed. Considerations of this kind, added Mr. Seymour, emphasised the importance of the establishment of a Department Qf Repatriation. Hβ believed the Government was moving in this matter. Conditions after the war could not be anticipated with certainty. But the best authorities believed that tho value of Now Zealand products was going to fall after the war. The demand for the products might be much reduced. A seduction of this kind would have a disorganisation effect that would affect repatriation , intimately. A Department of Repatriation..ought to be considering this possjbility now, and making plans for the time when tho New Zealand Army returned and disbanded. There was bound to bo difficulty at that time. Many men would havo grievances and would consider they had not been fairlytreated. The .association hoped to help a Department of Repatriation to see that the grievances were not big ones. Some of the matters mentioned by Mr. Seymour were discussed by members of the association. Mr. C. Gough stated that partially incapacitated soldiers veTe being exploited by employers through the un-der-rate permit system. He quoted tho case of a married man who was being paid £2 a' week under such a permit, and was not being taught n trade. Tho chairman said this atrtfc was under investigation.