REPATRIATION WORK

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16959, 7 October 1920, Page 7

REPATRIATION WORK

RETIRING CHAIRMAN'S

REMARKS.

Mr •! W. Jamiosori, chairman of tho Canterbury District Repatriation Board, has resigned, and, at the conclusion of the meeting last evening, he made several interesting comments covering the aspects of repatriation since the constitution of tho Hoards early in 1919. He said that at tho start it was difficult to evolve a system, but a working scheme was comp.'led. and this was improved from time to time. The discretionary power given to the various Boards had proved a great success, and the general satisfaction secured through tho Repatriation Department was mainly due to the freedom given. At one time he was or opinion that one Minister should hayo been elected to take charge of tho work, but he was satisfied now, that tho appointment of four Ministers, as in New Zealand, was tho right course in the expedition of the various matters covering different Departments. There was, at one time, a general fee-l-ing in the community that when the soldiers returned, they would not settle to work, but the absorption of tho men into the community had been a great achievement in New Zealand, and this was mainly due to tho fact that the men were anxious to get into employment. Tho other valuable assistance was the manner m which the employers co-operated with the Board m their work. . , ~ Regarding business and furniture loans, Mr Jamieson said that the majority of the men were playing tho game, but there wero a few who ■ were out to "take tho Government down, forgetting that in doing so. they were increasing the burden of others. With respect to businesses, tho percentage of failures was small, and mainly due to inexperience. With regard to failure loans, he regretted the manner in which quite a number of men were treating tho Department. Canterbury 1 had granted easier terms of repayment than any other Board in New Zealand, and vet the collections were proportionately the lowest. Mr Jamieson expressed his appreciation of the prompt and generous co-operation of the Canterbury Patriotic Society right from tho inception of tho Board. The assistance of tie Society had made tho work of the Repatriation Board much easier.