REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 35, 5 November 1920, Page 7

REPATRIATION

OPERATIONS FOB TWENTI' MONTHS. 1 Tho progress return of the ltcpatria- ; tion" Department, covering the period' of ■ : 20 months ended October 20. states that at that time the number ol names on tlia ■ register waß 78.590. The return adds:— Employment—Sinco its inception the Dc--1 partment has placed 20,621 discharged f,ol- ' dicrs iu suitable employment, and tho 1 number on the "employment wanted" ~ry- ' gister at ,tho date of tills report (October 20, 1920), is 128. The majority -of tliesi) have registered for employment within tho past few days, and there are at tlii> 1 present lime only 4 discharged soldiers drawing unemployment sustenance allowance, i.e., men who have been on tho books of the Department for more tliau ono week. Tho total amount paid out to date as unemployment sustenance "is • only £5223. ' Training,—Vocational training (with sustenance or subsidy) has been arranged for 5206 men, and of theso 2521 have finished their courses, leaving a balance of 2885 still being trained in special soldier classes and technical sehoolß. or in the workshops and factories of private employers. .An additional 1176 students who are attendiug evoning classes at universities- or com-' mercial colleges, or who arc studying by correspondence with recognised institutions have been assisted with grants towards fees and text books. Officers of tho Department keep in toucli with all the trainees, and the latest reports show that tho latter aro making excellent progress. This section of the Department's operations is showing a slight decrease month by month, and during October 117 men eoiymenced training, and 195 trainees completed their .courses and securcd employment aB "skilled" tradesmen. The total expenditure to date on training facilities, sustenanoo of trainees, etc., is £214,919. Aftercare—Tho reports of the aftercare officers for the past month havo been exceedingly satisfactory, and go to Bhow tho success that ia attending their effort to place numbers of disabled men In occupations which aro considered more suitnblo than those in which tliey havo been engaged. Up to the presont afterenre officers have dealt with '811 chest eascß, 337 amputees, and 435 men suffering from other serious disabilities,' and havo, in addition, during the past month, inspected and reported upon 280 subsidised trainees throughout tho Dominion. Financial Assistant— A steady decrease is apparent during the past few months in the number of applications received for. financial assistance, and a substantial deereaso of expenditure in this direction iB confidently anticipated. Up to October 20 4496 loaiiß for tho purpose of acquiring or establishing businesses had been approved by tlia Ministerial Board, involving an expenditure of £1,018,308. In addition to this 9673 men have been granted loans for the purchase of household furniture, tools, etc., and a further 3855 havo received financial assistance m other directions, the amount paid to or on be- ; half of soldiers under all headings totalling £1,539,431. ! Repayments.—Tho amount collected by ; tho Department up to September 30. .19M. . account, of loans granted was £305.383. Grantors are in the great majority.-of i oases meeting their obligations with loyal- . tv aud promptitude, and less than 5 per cent, of the 14,731 men who have been granted loaus arc In arrear with their payments. Instalments amounting to , £ii,380 were collected during the pioiith of September, a rate of about £400,000 j per annum. . ■ . . A summary of assistance rendered ia as , follows :— Placed in employment 20.621 Trained or in training 6.382 Financially nsEisted 18.024 j Total / 5 ' 027 '■