LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 41, 12 November 1919, Page 9

LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR

REPATRIATION Sir—Your loader of to-day stresses a feature of the present situation as affecting repatriation which needs to ho insisted upon, and which is also insisted upon in our lottor to tho chainmnn of tho Repatriation Board, which you wero good enough to publish last Saturday. Apart from the regrettable absenco in tho Government policy of ovidenco of * constructive, statesmanlike approach to the question of national production is tho fact that tho authorities have apparently relied on "pot-luck" to provide work for the soldier. It .must not bo forgotten that while so far tho wheels of the repatriation 01* have run fimoothly, limy have been fortunate in not being obliged to run in stouy places. The approach of stimmer has doiio much to blunt tho acutenesa of the shortage of employment, and tho payment of the gratuity, together with perhaps some accumulated pay, have enabled many soldiers to defer their search for a job until after tho holidays. But there is no assurance of permanency a'boi/f the present pos.tion, Very many men., casually employed, are not "dug in" in work which is either lasting or productively efficient. Next autumn and winter mny sea the radical change in the ■ situation, and- tho exsoldier may not unjustifiably object if the chief work available is «. variety of pubf.ic works corvee. If tho nc> postelection Cabinet is to prepare for eventuai.itics it will need to get to work very quickly in the New Year.—l am, etc., DOUG-LAS SEYMOUR, General Secretary, New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association.: November 11.