REPATRIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1919, Page 8

REPATRIATION.

• NEW PLYMOUTH COMMITTEE. A meeting of the New Plymouth Repatriation Committee was held last evening. Present: Messrs C. H. Weston (chairman), W. J. Chaney, T. Furlong. P W. Okey, R. J. Clarke, E. Whittle. T. C. List, J. A Rowlands, C. Carte]-, H. R. Cattley, E. B. Jillerm, and the secretary (Mr. A. S. Allen). The secretary reported that employment had been found for two ex-soldiers, that a trainee h,id started work in New Plymouth at a new trade, and another at farm work. There were four on the unemployment book, two requiring light work. The following report was brought, down !y a sub-committee on the question of tr?;oing partially disabled men:

« making our inquiries, we were guided by the assumption that temporary ?iuployment will not solve the repatriation difficulty for the disabled man who, fcy reason of his war service, has become '■.nfirtod to resume his pre-war oecupa. Men in this category may be taken into for patriotic or sympathetic motives, but as time pa«a«* and the cause of men's disabilities is gradually forgotten there, will come a" time when the employment erf these men will seem a Hurde.n. Bearing this in mind, we called on Mr. Cocker, who has very kindly been msl? : ng inquiries re-i garding the horoespua tweed industry.! We gathered from him that this work j was being greatly taken up in England, | and the product known as "Blighty" i tweed was in great demand. On iuquir-1 ing as to the supply of hand looms, we were told that probably the woollen j mills in New Zealand would shortly have some for disposal. The looms were usually set up in the men's own homes, and the yarn either spun on a wheel or obtained from a mill. We could learn nothing as to the cost of looms or the chances of getting instructors. This industry was taken up in Australia some time ago. and was very successful while in the hands of the soldiers themselves, but owing to some interference on the part of the Government it died out. Mr. Cocker also suggested the tailoring trade as • ft means of employment, but, on our inquiry if a man could earn, for a start, 30s or even £1 per week, we were ] answered in the negative, so we did ] not pursue this subject any further. We | next investigated the wooden toy making business as a possible avenue, and Mr. Corrigall gave lis quite a lot of information regarding the prices paid and also thfl supply and demand. This looked very promising, and, after some consideration, we enmo to the conclusion that if a workshop was fitted up with the necessary appliances all the partially disabled men in this district could bo profitably employed. The work is light and pleasant, and could be taught to a man of average intelligence in a very short time, cither in the workshop or at the technical school. There is no factory in Taranaki, and very few in New Zealand, catering for this class of work, so that a very large scope is assured. Some of the wooden toys shown us were imported from America, as they were unprocurable in New Zealand. It may be suggested that, as this is an indoor occupation, it would not be desirable work for chest or lung cases, but we think that objection could bo overcome by constructing the workshon on the open-air principle. We notice that a very comprehensive report has been laid on the table of the House of Representatives giving particulars of 10') different businesses or callings in which discharged soldiers have been assisted to make a start. Boot-making appears to be one of the trades most adapted to disabled men, as a knowledge of it is acquired in a comparatively short time. The number of disabled men that we are likely to have to deal with is, fortunately, so few that we consider that at present it is only necessary to deal with each case on its merits as it presents itself. In the event of the number increasing we would recommend that the committee consider the advisability of training some of the men in the trades we have mentioned. After considerable discussion, the following motion was carried: "That, in the opinion of this committee, the time has come when the Repatriation Department should take into consideration the establishment of a nntional toy-making factory, where disabled men from all parts of the Dominion might be taught by competent teachers —if necessary, specially brought from Home for the purpose —and that this committee is prepared to supervise the working of such a factory if established in New Plymouth." A loan of £3OO for the purchase, of a motor lorry and two loans of £P.OO each for the purchase of dairy cows were approved, and loans of £SO, granted for furniture in the case of four men, and another of £2O. A loan of £lO for the purchase of tools was also granted. Apprenticeship allowances were granted to two men who desired to resume and complete their apprenticeships. The secretary reported that the Wellington Board were repeatedly inquiring as to the possibility of finding places in Taranaki for men desirous of learning farming. Whilst so far the local applications had all been placed, it had not been without difficulty.

Members commented upon the poor response that had been made by farmers in the matter of training men, and it was decided to make a special appeal to them in the form of poster and circular.