REPATRIATION OF SOLDIERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 62

REPATRIATION OF SOLDIERS

SOME. INTERESTING- STATISTICS. The Repatriation Department has furnished the following report to the chairman of the Repatriation Board: The number of returned soldiers on the department's register now (March 31) totals 38,658. This includes 13,025 men who have returned to the dominion between the 9th January and the 25th March by the transJanuary and the 25th March. Employment. Return showing number of men placed in

Training. Return showing men at schools or with private employers under department's subsidised wages scheme, or receiving sustenance whilst attending technical classes:

During the period under review over 600 men have been placed in employment by the department. No unemployment sustenance has yet required to be paid by the Wellington district office, whilst there were 94- sustenance cases in Canterbury, 40 in Auckland, and five in. Otago; making a total of 139 unemployed cases for the whole of the dominion where sustenance is being paid by the department. From the progress returns it is evident that a large number of discharged soldiers desire to take advantage of the opportunity to start in business, the number cf applications received being 213. Of this number 77 have been approved by the district boards, a small number have been refused or withdiawn, and the remainder are under inquiry. The total applications for financial assistance, including sustenance furniture, tools, transportation, etc., totalled 632, of which number 253 have been approved, 317 are under review, 44 have been refused, and 18 have been withdrawn.

employment: — ed 1 ! >> •8 d Group. 1 a te a Wood, furniture, timber, etc. •A 18 14 2 O 4 Engineers, metal workers ... 15. 9 7 12 Food, tobacco, etc 7 5 5 4 Clothing, boots, etc 2 2 3 4 Books, printing, etc — 1 — 1 Other manufacturing — 14' 4 1 Building 7 17 1 1 Mining, quarrying, etc. — 5 — — Bail and tram services ... 1 4 2 8 Other land transport 13 17 6 1 Shipping, wharf labour, etc. — 21 8 — Pastoral, agriculture, etc. ... 14 30 11 5 Domestic hotels, etc 1 30 1 2 General labour and miscellaneous •.. 72 47 41 26 Clerical 12 8 29 10 Government — 17 7 2 Totals 162 241 122 80 Grand Total--605.

1 g 'w i Group. 3 .9 "a 3 d < fe d o Wood 7 3 2 4 Leather 4 6 3 S Metal 36 10 11 27 Clothing 6 — — 4 Commercial ... 18 13 6 10 Farming 10 1 — 1 Professional 1 — — 1 Other groups Grand Ofctal19 -210.