Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1919. REPATRIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1919. REPATRIATION.

The repatriation of .the returned soldiers is the most important task facing the country at the moment. The men are coming back now in their thousands and it is altogether regrettable that there is not any definite Bchomo arranged for practical purposes. One of the great difficulties is the finding of light employment for the wounded and nonrobust. The Government are not likely to move expeditiously, and it would, appear that the. authorities should ..seek the co-operation of the patriotic societies in establishing avenues of employment so as to give the men contentment and prevent the dangers of drifting which will arise if cases, are allowed to walk the streets indefinitelv, waiting, Micawber-likc; for something to turn up. It has been pointed outon previous occasions that Westland in. particular is in a helpless state to find, light employment for discharged returner! men, because work of such a character is not available, here, whet.*, manual labour requiring . robust constitutions alone prevails. Yet, it should be possible in a temporary way to find light employment in baaket-mak'Cg. toys and fancy goods. Tliis might be taken up by the Liverpool Committee, which with the funds at its command could purchase plant and material to make a start. The Government would surely assist with a subsidy, or in the provision of capable instructors and so men with a pension would have the means of supplementing their income and at the same time having an occupation which would be all for the benefit of -their health. The men while learners could be guaranteed a minimum payment, and after that could be paid by results over and above the minimum. The product of the soldiers could be taken over by the Committee and disposed of at their depot, or the surp’us distributed for sale through the medium of agents on the Coast or elsewhere. This move would be a practical step and give the men the means to supplement their pensions and derive an income which would help them in the battle of life. At the outset the work might be undertaken in conjunction with the technical school work and if that equipped building were available for use by the soldiers there would be the means at hand to get more familiar with the practical use of tools and ro further help them in the world when their health became more robust. The problem of the unfit men cannot be tackled too soon. It will be a serious blunder if these men are allowed to drift about nncared for. Their discontent will increase and they would be a menace to the general welfare of any community. It was never intended that they should be left to shift for them selves and the quicker the country realises its responsibilities in regard to repatriation the better for the welfare of the Dominion as a whole .