REPATRIATION SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 60, 5 December 1918, Page 7

REPATRIATION SCHEME

BOARD WITH LOCAL COMMITTEES

ONE STARTLING CLAUSE

The .lieuatrialion Hill, now lefore (ho Hoiiao ut .UepreM'Uiulivus,' makes the mere skeleton ut tliu scheme c>l renatriutiou that is to bo embiu'ited upon 'by Ulo, Ovornnieiit immediately.

The Bill ids iiy Uui'llopatmtion department, nml tlio Department is to bu administered by a board, io consist of members of the Executive Council, ap-pointed-'by- tlio Uovernor-Genoral, and holding office us members' of the board during his pleasure. The chief officer of the Department, is to be called the Director of Repatriation, and lie is Io be appointed by the board, holding office during the pleasure of the bonril. So officers of tlio Department are to be deemed to'be .permanent: officers of Ihe Government service. ''•'

For the purpose of decentralising the work of the •Dopurtiuent the board may establish such district or local boards or commiUpes iis it. thinks lit, and appoint the members thereof. The?o loeal boards oi committees are to exercise advisory or consultative function?, and in Ihe discretion of tho Central Board they may receive 'allowniicts'.

II is to bo the function nml duty of the Expatriation Board to make nil such provisions a 9 it may deem neceo-ary for the restoration of discharged soldiers to civil life, and to civil,employment or occupation. The board may * establish auil carry on schemes for the ei'ncarioniil, industrial, and vocational training of di>eharced -soldiers, and for the wire and maintenance of discharged soldiers, .who are wholly or partly disabled. I'p to the amount of ,£2.VJ the board ii to b» empowered to moko grants of iinoncial assistance to soldiers'to enable them tn set themselves up in businc- 5 ?, and the loan may be granted—for this 'ussislnnce is not. to Iμ a gift—with cr without security.

Power is taken to mnlc» vep'iUtions fo' , the obvious nurposps within tlif scons <.-f the Bill, and peiaUy for hrenr-h of the regulations may Iμ? a fine of J.'2O or impr«'oninciif for thro* lmmjl , *. The niflst extrnordinary clause in th" Bill !» that which prion-'?* to mak" it nossible to cancel the discharge of « nvin for misco.niliicV and to take him buck into ennui a™ain. The "Innsn is * Ion" one. whicli mad* as follows;—" If. ~n '■omplni'iMnM under ftp ~f ttyt Peace Act brfire a. SbV'idi.irv trate■ h.v Hie TMrpctov nt ftonolr'i!-'"- or l)v ii'iy other uerso'i |hor"i'"(o hvtJii Tlirectm'.' ll\e l \r.n?i=tr<if» i<. s!<ti«fted f-hif'a sold'pr w'm. wh'-thpv b»We n.- n rt nr (-v, e nnp.-in* nf *])■- Act. Jsc.Um from n.n ExiV'tliti/'nnry Force aftpr servico in that for* , * , b°,TDtiil the ■seas orjn « nainpof mililorv twinin" in Xw./iPakm l . is by rcx c :in of halnhiiil clrii'ikpnnefF. idlpnp«=. or 'miscotirliipl unfit f"r immedmtP' rp.-.trivntion to ("viljifp, ■employment, or. occnositinn. nnd'fbnt for tho protpftion (if thp splflier 't pHipi , - wi.<e in • hi«'.intprest it.-j-s nclvisublp to rancsl his. the by order at any 'time b«for» th° disbandinp of that Exnflilioiia'-v Korrp, c-anr-el Hip dischar-'JP of thnt soldipr. vho shall therp.uuon apmin bp"on'e a iiipi"bpr of tliat forj ,o as if hp had n»vpr hwv, thorof'om an , ?' as if hi> hnd 'i«ni call"d nu. for spwicn under the Military Service Act. WR."

.'*d i= ».\tP"dpil to "iplv , to nil foldiw's dnssed ■ nipilicjilly fit who have i"to enu), 'nivl vemiino.-] in mmr> until Kovpnibpi-Ji l . la=t. <:l>is Wn« of tli» termination of hostilities with Germany. :' . :