REPATRIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1921, Page 5

REPATRIATION.

END OF TASK IN SIGHT. NEW PLYMOUTH COMMITTEE. ITS RECORD OF WORK. The repatriation of soldiers is slowly being completed, and the progress made in this district is evidenced by the announcement that the New Plymouth Repatriation Committee is to ’be disbanded as from the end of the present year. The principal work has been the consideration of applications for loans to returned men to enable them to enter into business or take up land or establish homes for themselves. Altogether in the period during which the committee has been in existence —from early in 1919 up to October 31, 1921—seventyeight soldiers have received, loans enabling them to go into various businesses, the actual number of businesses affected being 69, the difference between the two numbers being accounted for by partnership arrangements and such like. The total amount of money advanced in this connection was £ 16,855, the limit which any roan could borrow being £3OO and most of the loans are short-dated, being for from three to four years. The varieties of businesses into which men have been helped and other matters for which they have received loans make an interesting record and may be set out as follow: —General store (-6), motor coach (3), motor carriers (5), horse carrier, carting contractors (3), fancy goods, grocery (2), travelling photographer, blacksmith (3), dentist, tea rooms (2), sheep dogs (for drover), taxis (4), gents’ outfitter, land agent, boot importer, watchmaker and jeweller, cordial manufacturers (3), electricians (4), insurance agent, motorcycle and side-car for newspaper delivery, motor car for use in business, plumbers (3), restaurant, private hotel wood-worker, baker, butchers (2), tailor, fishing (2) painter, umbrella repairer, billiard saloon, furniture manufacturer, car painter, share-milker, tyre vulcaniser, hairdresser, dry cleaner, tobacconist. Thirty-one men have been assisted in various directions, in connection with farming undertakings such as the purchase of stock, milk cans, implements and artificial manures, loans under this head totalling £8760.

Money was made available for returned soldiers for the purchase of furniture in setting up homes of their own, any man being able to borrow tip to £75 for this purpose. The committee made 243 advances against such applications, totalling £14,491. Loans for miscellaneous purposes such as purr'.rising tools of trade and other incidentals have amounted to £797, the grand total advanced under all heads being £40,9Q3

It is gratifying to know, especially in view of the fact that the loans are short-dated, that the repayments have been well met. Of the principal amount £19,156 has been received back with interest amounting to £1035. This represents a repayment of 47 per cent, of the amount advanced. There is similar cause for gratification over the fact that the amount of arrears is very small indeed. Only I'B loans are in arrears and the amount involved is £713, the percentage of arrears of the total amount advanced being 1.75 per cent. Another interesting feature of the repatriation work is that dealing with the training of men in new trades, for which courses were arranged and paid, at technical schools and through schools of correspondence. The local committee actually dealt with 82 men in this connection, 77 of whom completed the courses they took up and five are still in training. Of the number who completed 68 turned out satisfactory. * The total cost of the training section of the work was £4319. The number of applications for employment during the whole period has been 170. Of these places were obtained for 69 men, while 54 advised that they had found positions themselves The remaining 47 made no further communication to the committee on the subject. The small sum of £4O 0s 6d was paid out by way of unemployment sustenance and £7 17s was paid for transportation to employment or training. The present office of the department in Brougham Street will be closed as from December 23. The department will still be represented for some time to come, however, by Mr. Alien, who after the New Year may be consulted at the office of Messrs. W. (E. Bcndall and Co., Powderham Street.