Employment of Returned Soldiers.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 9 March 1918, Page 4

Employment of Returned Soldiers.

In acknowledging: receipt of tlie llorowhenua County Patriotic Association's suggestion that employers of labour be circularised with a view of obtaining more sympathetic treatment for returned soldiers, the Officer-in-Charge of the Discharged Soldiers Information Bureau thanked the Association for its interest and stated that the Department endeavoured at all times to obtain" tlie hearty co-operation of employers, and he detailed the steps taken. In a pamphlet just issued the Department stated: "It is trusted that the Government proposals supplemented by the patriotic -co-opera-tion of private employers, will secure the speedy re-absorption in civil life of the men whose gallcuit conduct has shed such lustre on tlie country under whose flag they have served." "So far as our experience in Welington goes," continued the letter, ' I must say that generally speaking we have received every consideration from employers when seeking to place men in employment. We can certainly say that the employers with whom we have had dealings have been entirely sympathetic. Of course one will from, time to time come across an unsyinpatuetic employer, and *1 doubt whether a circular would have any effect, oil such a person. . As, however, we recently brought the matter under the notice of the Jlmpioyers' Federation, and shall be repeating' in the Press our Appeal to employers, I do not t lunik it advisable to' also circularise employers generally just at the present lime. Your resolution will not, however, be overlooked, and shall, 110 doubt, haw an opportunity of doing something in the direction you suggest in the near future."

Mr Howard Andrew said two cases had come under liis notice recently which showed that some employers were giving every consideration to returned men. One Manaßau farmer, who had been without assistance for a long period, secured the services of a returned soldier, who came and seemed satisfied" with the prospects. He stayed oil the place that ilight, but next morning was no where to be found. Such an experience Was discouraging, but the farmer said he would at once uive- another returned soldier an opportiyiity, believing that great consideration should be given to those who had served with the forces on account of the unsettling nature of their experiences. In another case at Cliristchurch the foreman in a large factory came to the employer and said that a certain man would have to be dismissed as lie was useless, but the employer declined as the man was a returned soldier and the employer directed that he should be given at least six months trial. That showed tha tsome employers were patriotic enough to give returned meif every opportunity. The Mayor said he had heard of similar cases.