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Session 11. 1921. NEW ZEALAND.

RAPATRIATION DEPARTMENT (REPORT REGARDING THE ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS OF THE).

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave The Director ok Repatriation to the Hon. the Chairman and Members of the Repatriation Board. Sirs, — Wellington, 15th September, 1921. I have the honour to submit herewith a report on the operations of the Department for the period ended 20th August, 1921. j nave & 0 J. R. Samson, Director of Repatriation. The Hon. the Chairman and Members, Repatriation Board.

REPORT. The Repatriation Department was established under the provisions of the Repatriation Act, 1918, for the purpose of helping every discharged soldier requiring assistance to secure for himself a position in the community at least as good as that relinquished by him when he enlisted for war service. The controlling body is the Repatriation Board, comprising the following Ministers of the Crown : Hon. Sir William Fraser (Chairman) ; Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands and Repatriation) ; Hon. W. Nosworthy (Minister of Agriculture) ; and the Hon. J. G. Coatos (Postmaster-General and Minister of Public Works). ORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENT. In order to ensure the expeditious handling of all soldiers' applications for assistance a policy of decentralization was adopted. For this purpose over eighty Boards and Committees were established throughout the Dominion, and to their excellent work is due a large measure of the Department's success. BENEFITS PP.OVIDED FOR, DISCHARGED SOLDIERS. Under the Repatriation Act and the instructions issued in connection therewith a wide range of assistance was made available to discharged soldiers, and the chief activities may be summarized under four headings : — I. Employment: The placing in employment of all discharged soldiers who apply to the Department for assistance in that direction. 11. Training : The educational and vocational training of discharged soldiers. 111. After-care : The special shepherding of seriously disabled men, including the blind, limbless, tubercular, &c. IV. Financial assistance: The granting of financial assistance to discharged soldiers for the purpose of purchasing or establishing businesses, obtaining furniture, tools of trade, equipment, &c.

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