REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 161, 3 April 1920, Page 7

REPATRIATION

\. .'"•... 'A'PEOGBESS EEPOET. " ... , ' 'A, progress return issued by the Pe-.! S^triation "■ Department states that the.j epartment's Register now contains • the 1 , .'names' of 77,368..men. and of this'mimber .'50,703-have rehirned to the' Donr'nion 'since the beginning of -1910,,' Since its' ; .'. inception, the ' Department 'lias. bean-'; .-successful in providing suitable employment for 15,923 men,: and only 152.wii!iis remained Qn the "employment v'nntcd" register' 20, the. majority' of '.' this number having only registered dur- < nig the preceding few yeni'sv During the ..past month 'unemployment sustenance allowances were granted in 25'-case's; and .12 men are at "present receiving this .form l.'of assistance. The number ''legisteriiig for .employment recently has shmvn a ... marked decrease, and it -would appear, therefore; that one of the' Department's most serious problems 'has'been successfully, grappled with. Although lio recrudescence of unemployment'is expected (most of the men-having been placed in "permanent" positions), the Depart- ' '/iii.ent intends taking .'no Aisles in : this, tespect, and therefore no modification of v . its. employment 'will be ' made at' the present"juncture.;' : '. 'The'importance .'of the vocational twining; of :partially disabled soldiers','fippren. tices, "etc., can hardly be' over-cstijji'ated, and thi?. phase of the work of lepatria.' tion continues to expand. The training is under the direction, of experienced officers, and the'welfare of trainees is espe-, c ; ally looked after by -.members of the "After-Care" Branch. n Reports, to hand fronr the lattetf indicate, that the bull: of the men are making excellent progress, find that at the present time over 100 trainees are'completingtheir courses' ;; monthly,' and are tailing- positions as' ■' .. "skilled" tradesmen. ' During the-.past month ; 3GO men■'■■ commenced training, '-making a total of'4MS, for whom training Has, been arranged to. date.' Of this, number,"9lß-have'-finished their courses, leaving a'balance' of "3280. 'still- i:oing : trained in the' various technical schools" or special soldier classes and ; in the work-' shops and factories of!private employers throughout the .Dominion. '•'■• During the "period -covered "by this, report'(l 3 months), 3159 loans for the -purpose of establishing discharged soldiers in business have been approved by the Ministerial Board, involving an. expenditure of ,£722,801,' and''during the nast • rnonth'i,.£Bs,B4s ,wa.<; paid out-on behalf : .'of soldiers. for'furnitore.'tobiS;'lviisiness. sustenance, training fees ; subsidised •wages, assistance to apprentices, etc. Tho /total, amount expended, to "date under' /these headirigS' : is. J9GC,24t. ';• '' - :