AFTER THE WAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 106, 7 May 1942, Page 8

AFTER THE WAR

P. AND T. OFFICERS

REHABILITATION PLAN

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day,

Plans for the rehabilitation of over 5000 Post and Telegraph men on service with the New Zealand armed forces and the employment of other ex-servicemen as well were submitted by the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr. Young, to the Rehabilitation Board at a meeting. The Department's comprehensive programme contains 16 points aimed at restoring to the Departmental exservicemen their old positions without delay; a change of location, if desired; the provision of suitable duties for those who, by reason of war service, are unable to resume their normal positions; special tuition at training schools; facilities to ex-students for university attendance; correspondence courses; special treatment for men unable to do a full day's work; granting of accumulated leave both to civilians and returned soldiers; construction of communication lines, automatic telephone exchanges and new post offices; removal of wartime curtailments and reduction of overtime to a minimum, thus enabling more men to be employed.

"Broadly speaking, it can be said that the post office will give definite and substantial help in the rehabilitation programme," Mr. Young said. "Not the least of this will be its endeavour to give to its own men now overseas some measure of compensation for the experience which they lost through their absence from the Dominion. Furthermore, it will by kindly consideration endeavour so to equip the returned men that their future will be bright, and the men themselves will feel that in their war service to the nation they have gained rather than lost."