DISCHARGED SOLDIERS BUREAU

Southland Times, Issue 17658, 16 February 1916, Page 2

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS BUREAU

OPE 11 ATI OX S IN AUCKLAND. PREFERENCE POP CITY LIFE. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 11. Since the Auckland Discharged Soldiers' Bureau was established, just a month ago, employment lias been found for about 50 ex-campaigners and men who have broken down under ttie stress of training in camp. There are still some TO applicants for work on the books of the office, and others are making their appearance in greater or less numbers every day. Experience of the conditions of the bureau, so far as it lias gone, seems to contradict one thing Hi a t lias been widely entertained as to the influence of the war upon social evolution. It has been assumed that as a result of a soldier's experience of open-air life in the field, the inclination of townsmen on their return will be to foreswear urban occupations and betake themselves to the country. The disposition of the majority of the men who have applied for work up to date is in quite the opposite direction. Practically none of the townsmen is inclined to go to the country. Even among men whose former occupations were on the land there is a preference for city jobs. A considerable number of positions, in the way of light farm or dairy work, are now at the disposal of the bureau, hut hardly any of the applicants are prepared to undertake them. For the lost month there has been a standing offer from a farmer at Alaramarua to take several men for easy work at wages to be fixed by the bureau, according to the soldiers’ capabilities, but so far not one soldier lias been prepared to go. Mention of milking, on over so light a scale, and even of the oversight of milking machines, seems especially distasteful to the applicant.