REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 267, 7 August 1919, Page 4

REPATRIATION

WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.

The number of returned soldiers on the Repatriation Department's register now totals 60,302. This includes 33,6,17 men who have returned to tho Dominion since the beginning of the year. Deii'obilifation cards aro now hed by tlier district Kepatriation officers as follows: -Auckland, 11,451; Wellington, 13,956; Canterbury, 6522; Otago, 5960; total, 37 539. These figures include cards for some 425'J men who returned prior to 1919, and havo inquired regarding assistance from tho Department. Detailed reports show that Bio loans totalling .£189,555 lo assist discharged soldiers lo start in business have boen approved by the Ministerial Board, and that during the past month .£"0,000 was Actually paid on behalf of soldiers iu tho way oi lui-niture, tools, business, sustenance, training fees, subsidised wages, assistance to apprentices, etc.

The to tali iwmber of men at present being trained in new trades by. the Depiirtment is 1185, and during the month the Department secured billets for 978 men, who applied for such assistance. A further 2G2 men sought financial assistance to .enable them to start in business, and 630 applied for grants for furniture and tools of trade, etc.

The amounts being paid out monthly by the various boards and committees still show a large increase, the figures for the period under review exceeding tlioso of the previous month by over .£IO,OOO. The total amount advanced to soldiers to date is .£183,871. During the period Juno 20 to July 20 the' Department placed in employment 078 men. The number of men remaining on the "employment register" wanted at the close of the period was 437 (Auck-, land 156. Wellington 80, Canterbury 166, Otogo 35). The applications received by the Repatriation Board for business leans (over XSO) up to July 20 numbered 815, the total amount of the advances applied for being «E189,555 Bs. 10d.