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A.—l

apprising him of the existence of the Returned Soldiers Department, and informing that if he wants help he should apply to Mr. Samson, and that he should keep the Department informed of his movements. It is also settled that each man shall, prior to or immediately after his discharge from the Army, be interviewed by a public officer, who will be instructed to make a report in the annexed form marked " C," and who will hand to each man the card marked " B." It will be noticed that if the soldier does not require ihe Department's assistance be will lie asked to sign a statement to that effect, and then we will know where wo stand with him. It will lie readily recognized that the Returned Soldiers Departmeni will never be able to attain to a high degree of usefulness unless it enlists help from outside. We have already made arrangements with the Registrar of-War Pensions to obtain from his offioe particulars of all cases dealt with by the Pensions Board. Krom this source we should be able to gel accurate evidence as to a man's means and the nature of his disability. Then again, legislation has been introduced which, if passed into law, will make it incumbent upon persons controlling war funds to notify the Department of the nature of any assistance given to men who have returned. It is obviously very necessary that this information should be supplied to the new Department. Further, the Labour Department has been approached for help, and the permanent head, Mr. Rowley, has expressed himself as being more than anxious to place the whole strength of his organization at the service of our Department. It appears to me to be certain that the main part of the burden of actually finding suitable work for returned men will in course of time devolve upon the Labour Department. If as the work of the Department develops it is found advisable, a central committee in Wellington may be established to assist the Department to solve any difficult problems which may arise. Upon this committee I should like to have gentlemen closely connected with State employment—for instance, the Public Service Commissioner, the head of the Labour Department, representatives of the Railway Department and the Public Works Department, the Mayor of the city, the Chairman of the Harbour Board, and some gentlemen outside of the Government service who have already taken an active interest in movements which are intended to ameliorate ihe conditions of the returned soldier. Even now one can see that many interesting and difficult questions will come up for solution. The extract from a report by a committee set up by the Imperial Government (annexed to this memorandum) sufficiently indicates the nature ol' the eases which the Returned Soldiers Department will be required to deal with as time goes mi. It is oertain that many men will require surgical applianoes, and the best available orthopaedic assistance and advice will have lo be obtained. It is certain, too, thai it will be necessary, in the ease of men prevented by injury from following their former calling, to teach them some now industry. Here we would invoke the help of the bead of the Technical Education Branoh and the principals of technical schools, and I have no doulil but lhal we shall lie able to secure their assistance. We propose lo ask the Mayors of towns. Chairmen of local bullies, trustees of patrioticorganizations, ihe Board of Agriculture, presidents of Chambers of Commerce, and the general public to help the Department with its work, and the assistance asked fur will Im< given gladly 1 am sure. '"* No doubt as the scheme materializes we will find it expedienl in appoint local committees in different centres to directly look after the men residing in these centres, and through the Labour Department, or directly, those committees can lie supplied from lime lo time with statements containing the names of men requiring employment, and desoribing ihe nature of the employment which each man desires lo obtain. A proposal has been made lhal returned soldiers should be settled on the land. I hope thai a practicable scheme can he devised, hill 1 must confess that the proposal appears In me to be beset with difficulties. If a soldier has been trained as a farmer ami has capital of his own, arrangements can easily lie made to provide d'r him. Bui if a soldier knows nothing about farming and has no capital to expend on fencing, clearing, ami stocking his laud, what is to be done in his case? Is the State to teach him the rudiments of farming, and is it to supply him with the wherewithal lo make a start/ These are questions which will have to be settled. Kruit-farming and poultry-farming have been suggested as occupations likely to suit disabled men. It is true that the disabled men will be receiving pensions, and may Ik- able to exist upon their pensions income until the fruit-trees and ] ltry have reached a revenue-producing point, but the scheme is by no means an easy one to carry out. It means securing suitable areas of land; it means finding money for fencing, planting trees, and stocking poultry farms; and it means instructing the men in their new occupations. I hope that the Board of Agriculture will focus its attention upon this phase of the returned soldier problem and give the Department the benefit of its experience' and advice. The Department will not have much difficulty in finding employment mr soldiers win. return I i this country sound and well. Many of these men will not require any help from ihe offioe. Our principal work will centre round the men who return to New Zealand maimed and permanently broken down in health. It will be the duty of the Department to make a special study of these last-ment ioneil cases, and with the advice and assistance which it will be in a position to command it hopes lo make certain that every man who has suffered through serving his oountry will live for the rest of his days in comfi.rt, and lhal he will lie made as useful a member of society as his disability will allow. A. L. II HI id MAN, Attorney-General.