RESTORING THE SOLDIER

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1919, Page 5

RESTORING THE SOLDIER

REPATRiAtION OPERATIONS

HIGHLY SATISFACTORY REPORT.

A progress return prepared by the Repatriation Department shows that on &Oth September last the total number of returned soldiers on. the Department's register was 69,980. This includes--43;315 men who have returned to the Dominion since the beginning of the year. Demobilisation cards are now held by the District Expatriation officeis as follow : Auckland, 14,436; Wellington, 17,882; Canterbury, 8529; Otago, 7946; total, 48,793. These figures include cards for some 5478 men who ieturned, prior to 1919, arid have inquired regarding assistance from the Department. , ■ . '. ■ - ■ ; To enable discharged soldiers to start in business, 1517 loans. totalling £343,721 have been approved by the Stinisterial Board, and during the : past month a record amount of £.102,866 was actually paid to or oil behalf of soldiers for furniture, tools, business, sustenance, training fees, subsidised wages, assistance to apprentices, etc. The total amount paid to.'date under these Headings is £379,908. During the month a further. 333 men started training for a new occupation, and the total number of men for,, whom training has been arranged is 2258, Of this number 1893 are still in training, and the balance. (365) have', with a few exceptions, finished their courses', and "have been placed in'employment. Un--emplpyment figures continue to be very satisfactory. Over 1200 Inert have been placed in employment during the iipntli, bringing the: total, tip to over 10,d&5. Notwithstanding the fresh case's coming forward, the number .of unemployed throughout the Dominion at p'reeehi 6n the register of. the; De'paftalent is only 35i, a, reduction of 8? since" the date of last report. ' Some 48 men required assistance in the way of unemployment sustenance during the month, but only 12 were receiving sustenance, payments', at the date of this report. A further 1323 m'eii bought financial assistance during the month to enable them to start in: business, and for the purchase of furniture, tools of trade, etc. To date £8442 has been repaid to the Department in reduction.of .loans granted, arid it is satisfactory to be able to report that in tli'e great majority of cases the nieii are' meeting their obligations promptly.