STATE AID

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 201, 26 August 1941, Page 8

STATE AID

TO BUY FURNITURE N.Z. SERVICEMEN FREE LOANS UP TO £100 (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.

Details of the Government's scheme for assisting discharged service men to purchase furniture were announced by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, to-day. He said there would be numbers of men, especially those marrying on their return to the Dominion, who would be in need of some assistance for setting up house.

"Furniture loans are one of the best ways of assisting returned men," he said, "being a great help in enabling them to settle down in reasonably comfortable circumstances whfre they can follow their occupations and bring up families. The Government will help by making to approved applicants, free of interest, loans up to £100."

The Minister further explained that, as in the case of loans for tools of trade, a man would be expected to purchase the furniture himself if he had the means. The applicant must be a discharged serviceman, whether sailor, soldier or airman, and must be married or about to be married, or else be a widower with one or more children. Widows of deceased servicemen were also eligible provided they had one or more children. So also were substantially dependent widowed mothers. On Hire Purchase Basis The Minister said that the State Advances Corporation would administer the loans on a hire-purchase basis, and every effort would be made to safeguard borrowers from exploitation.

"There will be three classes of borrowers who may receive rebates of principal. A totally disabled man in necessitous circumstances may receive an amount up to £30 by way of a grant and only the balance on loan. A serviceman's widow with one or more children under 16 and in necessitous circumstances may receive a similar concession. This means that those in need of special consideration will receive it and there will be some encouragement to returned men to make a home and bring up families."