OTAGO REPATRIATION BOARD VITAL STATISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3487, 11 January 1921, Page 5

OTAGO REPATRIATION BOARD

VITAL STATISTICS.

YEAR’S WORK SUMMARISED. A STRIKING RECORD. An interesting summary of the operations of the Otago District Repatriation Board, a body which covers the very wide area from the Waitaki to Stewart Island, has been courteously supplied by Mr H. F. Titchener, chief clerk, by permission of Mr H. D. Tennent, the district repatriation officer. Prior t-o February of 1919 the office was the Discharged Soldiers’ Information Department. In that month repatriation officers were appointed, and the figures now published cover the operations of the Otago Board for the period from February, 1919, to November 20, 1920. The total number of men placed in employment was 3686. In addition the board placed in new trades and industries 351 men who were unable to follow their pre-war occupations. Further, 230 students were placed in technical schools or the University. The majority of these were students before the war. The total number of applications received for loans for residence furniture was 1460, of which 1343 were approved. The payments under this heading range up to maximum of £75. Applications for tools of trade numbered 117, and 101 were granted. There were 57 applications for horse vehicles, of which 39 were approved; and 80 for motor vehicles, 49 of these being approved. In regard tothe applications for motor vehicles, the board entertained only such as came from men who were taxi drivers before the war and were now able to finance themselves at least half. Other applications for plant, as for factories, etc-., numbered 47, and 37 were approved. To establish new businesses 340 men asked for aid, and 239 received it. No fewer than 309 applied for help to enter businesses already established, and of these applications 214 were granted. Assisted passages to places overseas were asked for by 12, and granted to eight. The applications for passage by men proceeding to employment numbered ICO, and 97 were approved. The total under the heading of “financial assistance” was for Otago 2522, of which 2127 were approved. In Auckland the applications totalled 6957, and 5874 were a-p-E roved; in Wellington, 7402 applications, 097 approved; in Canterbury, 4169 applications, 3398 approved;—making -a total for the dominion of 21,050 applications, of which 17,496 were approved. The total amount expended in Otago on training and business loans was £190,463 9s lOd, and for the dominion £1,604,164 9s , Ul- - money advanced as subsidies to workers is a grant. The money advanced for businesses, furniture, and education for the profession is strictly by way of loan, and it is pleasing to note that the obligations are being met. Out of the sum advanced in Otago, £33,529 10s 3d has been repaid as principal, and £1759 8s 5d as interest. The total received in repayments throughout the dominion is £324,000 16s lid as principal, and £16,666 18s lOd as interest.

RECORD NUMBER OF MARRIAGES. When the books of the Dunedin registrar's office were closed for the past year the total number of marriages registered for the year was 915 —a record for the district. The highest previous total was 790. One hundred and fifty of the 915 marriages last year were before the registrar in his office. The marriages for the month of December last year numbered 119, as against 157 in December of 1919. The figures for the last quarter of 1920 show 265 marriages, as against 2E2 in the last quarter of 1919. At the end of the year, therefore, there was a slackening off. The births for the month of December numbered 140, one niore than in December of 1919. For the last quarter of the year the count was 432, as against 403 in the corresponding quarter of previous year. For the year the total was 1802. as compared with 1410 previous year. The nurni her 1802 is not a record, but very near it. [ In 1912 the total came to 1808. | The deaths in December were 78. exactly the same number as in December of previous year. For the last quarter the total was 267, as against 222 in the corresponding quarter of previous year. For the year the number was 1078, as against 917 in 1919.

A peculiar case of cruelty and assault came before tho Police Court at Feiidmg' last week. It was stated that a man named Stanley Fonseca, an employee at'the Denbigh Hotel. Feiidmg, entered tho kitchen of the establishment, when he tripped over a cat. His anger was aroused at tho accident, and, before the Hindu cook, who was present in th© -kitchen, could intervene, Fonseca had killed the animal with a

j knife. Incensed at the cook’s protests oonI corning his act of cruelty, the accused, I seized a couple of knives and threw them at tho cook. One of the missiles grazed the cheek of the man. while the other stuck into the wall behind him. On the charge of ascaiilt Fopseca was fined £5, in default, 14 days' imprisonment, and for the cruelty to the cat. he was fined £l, in . default, seven days’ imprisonment.