REPATRIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1921, Page 4

REPATRIATION.

WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT. ASSISTANCE AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING. Tlio latest report issued by the Repatriation Department shows that the register oi' the Department now contains the names of 79,487 discharged soldiers. Since its inception the Department lias placed 24,192 discharged soldiers in employment, and the number remaining on the “employment wanted'’ register on June 30th was 398, distributed throughout the various districts as follows: Auckland district 110, Wellington 122, Canterbury 70. Otago <i.l. During the past month applications for employment were received from 718 men, and 505 of the men were placed. Fnomploymcnt sustenenc t . was paid in three eases of hardship. The vocational training of partiallydisabled soldiers unable, owing to war disabilities, to re»umo their pre-war occupations. and of apprentices and others who have lost opportunity through war service, has been a special feature of the Department’s operations. and training has been arranged for 7090 men. Of this number 4182 trainees liav e completed their courses and have been absorbed in the various industries, leaving 1260 still undergoing training. An additional 1348 students have been assisted financially with grants for Hie payment of fees and the purchase of text-books. All trainees are carefully supervised by experienced officers' of the Department and reports indicate that, almost without exception, the men are making excellent progress. During the past month 54 men commenced training whilst 162 completed their courses, and were drafted out to employment. The total expenditure to date on training facilities, sustenance of trainees, etc., is £310,787.

The placing of the seriously disabled man in a calling and environment suited to bis particular disability is the especial task of tbe after-care lira noli of the Department, and thoroughly qualified officers have been appointed for tbe work. Amputees and other seriously disabled men receive individual attention and chest eases are under the care of an officer with sanatorium experience. Loans to assist discharged soldiers to establish themselves in businesses or professions have boon granted in 5721 eases at an expenditure of £1.058.600. A further 12.257 men have rccciv-:! :

vances totalling £570.352 for the purchase of household furniture or tools of'trade and 3701 others have been granted financial assistance in tlier lireetions, (be amount paid to or on behalf of soldiers under all headings lining £1.981,683. At Afny 31. 1921, the amount collected in repayment of loan amounted to £588,178 or more than one-third of the total advances. Collections for the month of Afny were £38,825. a rate of over £160,000 per annum.