REPATRIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16821, 29 May 1919, Page 11

REPATRIATION.

TIMARU COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Timaru Repatriation Committee was hejd on iuesday night, Present—Messrs V. East (chairman), E. G. Rawnslsy, AV. Roddick, J. G. Venning, (J. I*. Bryan King, 'i'. D. Young, J, Bitciiener, "and E. j! Rolleston.

The Canterbury Repatriation Officer forwarded copieb of tne 'form of security to be \ised in connection with loans granted by the Department, and the committee decided tßafc aii securities must be registered. The Repatriation Officer wrote staling that sustenance allowance might be paid to any dependent of a soldier who had established pre-war dependency, and thus qualified for and received the separation allowances payable by,- the Defence Department during the'service of soldiers with the Expeditionary : Farce. This decision covered the case of any wiaowwi mother ■ who received the widowed mother's separation allowance. In reply to the committee's inquiries regarding- vocational training for soldiers undergoing treatment at Timaru, the. Minister of Defence wrote stating that considerable difficulty had been found in obtaining a suitable instructress in occupational work, as none could b9 obtained, in Timaru, but. arrangements had: .been made for Mrs Shaw, who ;had been instructing in Napier Hospital, to take up work in Timaru as from May 15. Her appointment was provisional, wliilo another instructress; was_ 'being trained at Rotorua:.' ■ • It : was intended to provide a carpenter's shop as soon as arrangements could be made for- the necessary alterations, and an officer had been sent to Timaru on May 10 to make a special report on the subject Arrangements would also be made to extend the vocational training f or sol- *£ T lmara n in rthsr directions. Ihe Minister also wrote in regard to two returned soldiers whom the committee had recommended for further surgical treatment after their discharge hospital. The Minister explained that provision had bsen made for cases of the kind. The new methods of 'treatment adopted in England last year had been specially studied by New Zealand officer* Who were now; employing these methods 'in the Dominion. There was a complete orthopedic unit-in Christchurch and in each of the other three principal centres there was at least one officer who had been specially trained. Complete units were now on their way besides specialists in .many other branches.

It was resolved to thank the Minister for his letters, and to congratulate him oh tho efforts of his Department to satisfy all the demands made upon it.

. In regard to a soldier suffering from shell-shock, whose case had been re-' ferred by 'the' committee to the fence Department; notice was received that the man must present himself, for medical examination. Five : applications for furniture loans were granted, one for £4O. and the others for £SO each.

Two applications from apprentices for subsidy to bring their incomes Up to ..£3 a week were granted. - A grant of £l2 12s was made, to Cover fees for a course in law taken ky.ua returned soldier.

...Three apphcatiohs,. each for a' loan: .pf : ?;£30O; for the establishment of (V mi'smess, were approved. It was agreed' I that, a, fourth applicant- should lie. 'titked ttf appear ; 'before the commit!' : tep- : -' r ■ . ■ " ■,

; The employment bureau reported that there had been eleven names on.". the hooks a fortnight before p seven new applications had heeff received. and seven men' had been ; placed in employment, Of the remaining 11. nine were awaiting work at the Tiifiaru Post ■ Offics*,-. whe)re they would probably he required wiffiifi a d'ay or two; efforts to place a man. v/ho' sought a stock agent's position in .the' North Island had been •unsuccessful, and a position as salesman wps required for a recent applicant. •