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above. Employment is arranged with an approved farmer, and the man's w.age is subsidized in order to assure him an income of £2 per week and found. Such assistance is granted, if necessary, for a period of twelve months, by which time it is reasonable to suppose that the man will have obtained a fair general knowledge of farm-work. In a circular to the Department's Committees attention has been drawn to the suitability of farm-work for a, number of returned men, but notwithstanding the inducements offered our experience goes to show that very few men are willing to take up workin the. country. Posters outlining the training schemes are displayed in military hospitals, soldiers' clubs, Discharged Soldiers' Information Committee-rooms, post-offices, and railway-stations throughout the Dominion, and in addition to this the Department specially approaches every discharged soldier who, prima facie, is likely to benefit by a course of training, pointing out the advisableness of taking advantage of the Government's schemes. The point is specially stressed that present labour conditions are not normal, and that while, it may be comparatively easy at the present time to secure, temporary jobs at remunerative rates the conditions will be seriously changed after the termination of the war, when labour is more abundant. The advantages of being in possession of a, skilled trade when that time arrives may make, all the difference between a secured position and. constantly recurring unemployment. Apprentices. The Government recognizes that considerable financial hardship is in some cases entailed on apprentices whose indentures have been interrupted by war service. Some of these men, who but for such interruption would now be journeymen, are obliged to resume work at a, small wage, and authority has been given for the payment to such, men of a, special allowance cither for a limited period or until the term of apprenticeship is completed. Each case is dealt with on its merits, and up to date allowances of 10s. to £1 per week have been granted in a, dozen cases for periods ranging from ten to eighteen months. Any financial assistance granted to returned soldiers under the Department's various schemes is, of course, quite irrespective of the man's pension allowance. After the War. When demobilization commences and the num returning monthly arc numbered by thousands instead of hundreds, it is clear that the Department's practice of personally interviewing each soldier at his home must be abandoned. We, shall continue that, practice in the case of invalids, but with the able-bodied men returning at the, rate of several thousands per month it will be entirely impracticable. The course which it is proposed to follow is for the representatives of the, Department to meet each transport on arrival, as at present, and hand every soldier a printed letter in the form set out in Appendix Xla. This form explains itself; but to avoid the possibility of any soldier being missed it is proposed, where no reply is received after a reasonable interval, to send a second communication in the form shown in Appendix XI n. If this also elicits no reply the matter will not be pursued further, but the Department will always be happy to reopen the subject if later on the soldier asks for assistance. The matter of the reabsorption of the thousands of men in civil life and demobilization, will throw a great deal of work on to our Local Committees. It is proposed to strengthen these Committees so as to include representatives of labour, employers, returned soldiers, and other sections of the. community. In the meantime we, have, been gaining experience in the matter of settling these men, for up to date we have dealt with 24,550 disabled soldiers. Of this number about 3,000 have not yet been discharged and 19,302 have been disposed of, and our experience has been that only a small proportion has required the direct assistance of the Department. It is anticipated, therefore, that on demobilization, the men being fit and able-bodied, only a small percentage will require assistance to settle down. The early days of demobilization will involve, the dlsbandment of thousands of men in camp and on board transports in or near New Zealand waters, and it is anticipated that the difficulty in dealing with the first batches will be mitigated by the fact that many of them will only recently have left their old work, and the general shortage of labour will provide numerous openings for men who will be in robust health and whose employment will not present the difficulties which surround invalided men. Distinguished economists in England state that they are confident that in most industries there will, be plenty of employment after the war. However, the Government is considering different proposals for coping with the genuine cases of unemployment that are bound to arise later on. » Provision of Employment on the Termination of the War. The following is a brief summary of provisions which have been made : — (a.) The Minister of Finance has been authorized by Parliament to raise a sum not exceeding £1,000,000 for public works undertaken by the Government with a view to providing employment for discharged soldiers. (b.) Legislation has been passed by Parliament simplifying the procedure in the case of local bodies desiring to undertake similar works with the same object, and, subject to necessary precautions, the State Advances Department is empowered to advance the necessary money. (c.) The Government Departments chiefly concerned in the employment of labour have formulated schemes of public works which can be put in hand at the shortest notice.