REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 212, 2 June 1921, Page 6

REPATRIATION

DEPARTMENT ISSUES OFFICIAL REPORT

79,390 NAMES ON REGISTER After 27 months’ operations, the Repatriation Department announces that the register contains the names of 79,390 returned soldiers. The director (Air. J. R. Samsou) states: “The return as at May 20 last shows that since its inception the Department has placed 23,687 discharged soldiers in employment. The number remaining on the "employment wanted” register at tho date of this report is 318, distributed throughout tho various districts, as follow: —Auckland district, 117; AVellington, 134; Canterbury, 38; Otago, 29. During the post month applications for employment were received from 69-1 men, and 468 of the men were placed. Unemployment sustenance was paid in 3 cases of hardship. “The vocational training of partiallydisabled soldiers unable, owing to war disabilities, to resume their pre-war occupations, and of apprentices or others who have lost opportunity through war service, has been a special feature of the Department’?; operations, and training has been arranged for 7018 men. Of this number 4320 trainees have completed their courses, and have been absorbed in the various industries, leaving 1368 still undergoing training. An additional 1330 students have been assisted financially with grants for the payment of fees and the purchase of text-bOoks. All trainees are hatefully supervised by experienced officers oi the Department, and reports indicate that, almost without exception, the men are making excellent progress. During the past month 54 men commenced training, whilst 239 completed their courses, and were drafted out to employment. The total expenditure to date on training facilities, sustenance of trainees, etc., is £285,427.

"The placing of the seriously disabled man in a calling and environment suited to his particular disability is the special task of the after-care branch of the Department. Up to date, 2487 chest cases, amputees, and other seriously disabled men. have been specially dealt with. All chest cases are under the care’ of an officer with sanatorium experience. Loans to assist discharged soldiers to establish themselves in businesses or professions have been granted in 56-16 cases, at an expenditure of £1,044,073. A further 11,980 men have received advances totalling £551,871 for the purchase of household furniture or tools of trade, and 3634 others hove been granted financial assistance in divers directions, the amount paid to or'on behalf of soldiers under all headings being £1,891.754. At, April 30, 1921, the amount collected in repayment of loan amounted to £519,352, or more than onethird of the total advances. Collections for tho. month of April were £38,378, a. rate of over £460.000 per annum. Summary of Assistance. A summary of assistance rendered is a.s follows: — Nature of Assistance. Number. Amount Loans— assisted. £ Business 5,616 1.014.073 Furniture, tools, etc. 11,980 551,871 Grants — Training, sustenance, etci 7,018 285,427 Transportation 2,559 5,079 Unemployment sustenance 1.0'76 a, 5.304 Placed in employment... 23.68" — Total 51,966 1,891,754