THE RETURNED SOLDIER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12404, 23 August 1918, Page 6

THE RETURNED SOLDIER.

HIS RE-ENTRY INTO INDUSTRY. VARIOUS OPINIONS. According to a recent, telegram from Wellington the employment of tho returned discharged .soldier is becoming a difficult problem in some parts of tho North Island. In consequence of this statement a. “Star’’ reporter this morning made some inquiries as to the position of affairs in Christchurch. Air C. W. Green, secretary of tho Returned Soldiers' Association, was called upon, and he quickly stated that in this city there was a different tale to tell. One class of employment generally offered to the returned soldier that Air Green did not at all approve of, unless tho man was absolutely un-fit-tod for anything else ,was the work <>i looking after a lift. “At this,” he said, “they loam-ab-solutely nothing, The Government at tho present, time is offering every facility for the returned men to learn useful occupations. We have at present several men following new work. For instance, some are engaged in vulcanising tyro work, who prior to enlisting wore farm labourers or horsebreakers, and their employers report very favourably as to their progress. Ono in particular has done so well that the firm has offered him £4 a week to go to another city where it has bought a plant, and this after only four months’ experience. At tho present time wo are able to cope with the number of men looking for work, and wo think that in tho case of one-armed men it should be able to place them in various businesses to look after machinery a.nd so forth. Tho association wants to get those men rehabilitated. I will give you another instance of the way in which returned men are proving their worthiness in new occupations, and this is the case of three men who are engaged in leather goods manufacturing and who previously wore respectively a. tailor’s cutter, a farm labourer and an hotel porter. Their employers report very favourably concerning them, and in six months they had reached a grade of work iu the business which generally takes the ordinary apprentice throe years.” This was due greatly, in Mr Green’s opinion, to tho fact that the men had been placed directly at the bench which made the work more interesting. 'Hiere might be a few men in Christchurch wanting work, . but these men must come, along and the association would do all it possibly could for them. The employers were meeting them very fairly, and with few exceptions they spoke highly of tho men’s efforts. It was foolish, though, to take on men who were unsettled. The opinion after experience, of one man was that ho would have absolutely no ono but returned soldiers if lie could possibly help it. as he baa found that all fencli men learning ne,w occupations were interested and keen, knowing that tho. whole of their future depended upon their own efforts. There were two eases of men seeking employment at present, both ploughmen, who, through disablement, wore unable to return to their former occupation.

” There are a few men,” said Mr Green, “ who have nevef worked, and never will. AVo find that a- good percentage of the grievances among returned men are purely duo to ignorance : they do not. know what the Government is prepared to do for them, and do not take the trouble to find out. Of course, there are a few men absolutely unfitted for any occupation, and to help these the Government allows a supplementary grant with the pension, and in quite a number of cases men have been able to secure this grant from the Government. Also, when men arc unable to resume their pre-onlist- ( meat occupation, and have to take up now occupations, the Government suosidisos their income to allow of a living wage, and the subsidy is exclusive of any war pension.” Active service conditions, Mr Green pointed out, affect some men differently to others, and the time would arrive, in his opinion, when there would bo numbers of men about v/ho wore unable to follow their pre-war occupations, or had becomo of unsettled habits. In view of the coming of such a time, the suggestion was made thatconferences should ho arranged by the Government in each centre, to which should bo invited the representatives of every industry, to take the matter up, and if possible set up small committees, including representatives of the Government, the various industries, tho labour unions, and the Returned Soldiers’ Association.

“Such a committee,” Air Green said, “ could be called together once a fortnight, or as occasion arose. The applicant could appear personally, and alter inquiry could bo advised as to what would be the most useful and profitable occupation for him to follow. Many men at the present time really do not know what they can do until they try. Let me toll you a case in point. There is a returned soldier, formerly a coachman, who has had his right leg shattered, and is now unable to lift any heavy weight. Ho is a cripple for life. He wanted to take on motor driving. At this 1m would have to bo out in all sorts of weather, and this naturally would not tend to improve him physically. Wo got him placed in a boot factory, ami his employers speak very highly of him. The conditions under which he is working are pleasant, and ho is very satisfied.”

“ The executive of tho Returned Soldiers’ Club advises men at present what class of work to undertake, and in no instance, Mr Green states, have the men turned back on tho advice given. In other respects the club is proving of groat utility, for the reason that undischarged men, and men receiving medical treatment, can obtain wholesome recreation there, which keeps them, from roaming about the streets, and they are under tho eye of the officers of the association, who are nblo to note the various peculiarities <-f the different men, and thereby,” concluded Mr Green, "it is helping in the matter of repatriation.” C.D.C. DISCUSSES PROBLEM. At the meeting of the Citizens’ Defence Corps last night various phases of tho W’ork done among soldiers, departing and returned, were discussed. Speaking with regard to finding employment for the returned men, Mr George Harper said that this branch of the work had not met with the success that one might wish. Canterbury had done as well as any other centre, but had not done as well as they had expected. Tho first, difficulty was to find suitable work for tho men, and then there was the difficulty of getting tho men to stick to their work. Some of the men were too unsettled to take up regular work, and others were not ablo to do the hard work to which they had been accustomed. Another difficulty was that so many girls -were now employed in offices that clerical work was not. easy to get. In most cases tho employers had found the girls satisfactory, and naturally' did not want to discharge them. The labour position was not satisfactory, but it might improve. It had to ho remembered that the difficulties would exist for a long time to come.

Air 'VC S. Wharton remarked that the men found a difficulty in settling down. In many cases t hey would carry out their work for a month-or two and then go right off. Many employers said that they had engaged returned men and had found that they were not dependable. However, employers must have patience with such men. In some eases men were suffering from shock that had nut. ber-u properly remedied. .However, if patience were exercised iiic men would probably settle down.