ASSISTANCE TO SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 75, 21 December 1921, Page 7

ASSISTANCE TO SOLDIERS

SUM OF 060 EXPENDED IN AUSTRALIA.

The annual report of the Australian Repatriation. Commission, which was presented to the Federal Parliament recently shows that the Commonwealth expenditure on various forms of assistance to soldiers, sailors, and nurses up to June 30, 1921, totalled .£74.000,000. Experience shows, it is stated, that the activities in relation to employment, local committees, small businesses, tools ot trade, plant, and flee passages are now approaching* vanishing point, and the “peak" has been passed in regard to pensions, vocational and professional training and medical treatment. It is expected, however, that there will be a wide development of the soldiers children education scheme, which was inaugurated during the year, and the commission considers that this scheme will provu ai. important and worthy means of honouring the Commonwealth’s obligation. During the year, owing to decline in activities, the staff was reduced by 307 There were 222,537 pensions in operation on June 30. 1921, and the anDual pension liability amounted to Jl6 915,444. The amended scale of pension rates necessitated the reassessment of all existing pensions, and this resulted in an increase in the rate in over 134,000 pensions. "Special rate" pensions of 4:8 por fortnight had been granted to 535 cases. Since tho inception of the Department claims for assistance in respect to 204.609 soldiers had received attention. Of a total of 217,258 applications for employment, 120,376 men were directly placed. At the end of the year 1682 men were on tho books awaiting positions. The eexpenditure in connection with employment during the last twelve months was .£174.669. Un to the end of the financial year .£1,760.612 was naid in sustenance to men while awaiting employment. During the year over 4400 trainees became efficient, and their training was completed. Up to the end of .Tune 1921, 12.6’97 men had completed training, and 18.260 wore then undergoing tuition. The total cost of vocational training to the end of the financial year wns .£3.258.052. To nvoid difficulties with trades unions the Department adopted the policy. ns far as possible, of accepting work from Government Departments and charging the ruling market rates. Tho sum of 41(11.941 was received from the sales of products of vocational trainee classo’. It was estimated that there wore 11.791 children of deceased or permanently incapacitated soldiers eiicilile for the benefits of the soldiers’ children education scheme. The total cost of the scheme, spread over twenty years, will be 411.250.960.