DISABLED MEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 42, 19 February 1943, Page 2

DISABLED MEN

UNION ATTITUDE

EMPLOYMENT ISSUES

(By G.A.P.)

In an article published in yesterday's Star, the constitution and objects of the Disabled Servicemen's Re-establishment League and some of the activities of the Auckland committee for placing disabled servicemen into useful avenues of employment were outlined. These included the establishment of a vocational training centre, for which the authority of the Department has been awaited for nearly two months, also the mop and feather duster factory, which has been in operation in Hopetoun Street for several years, employing nine disabled men from the last war and one from this war.

At present there are 42 registered disabled men working in their homes, whose output is handled by the Auckland committee. The necessary material is provided through the committee and the finished articles are placed on the market-through its agency, the men being paid rates according to the value of the goods they produce. There is also a scheme of subsidies for the benefit of disabled men who can follow a trade, but whose disabilities prevent them from competing on the open market. Complex problems have arisen between labour unions and employers regarding the question oi conditions of employment of disabled men. The fear of the unions is that the disabilities of returned servicemen may be exploited through the system of subsidies, while there is also the question of award rates and that of under-rate workers. The union takes the view that there are many workers at present on active service and their positions n.ust be protected during their absence and nothing should be done to interfere with their immediate absorption into industry on their return, whereas there is also a desire to protect disabled men. The questions involved are considered to be of first importance far-reaching effect, and at the moment the most vital are unde consideration -in Wellington, which is another cause of delay in the development of the work m Auckland and other parts of the country. Getting in Touch With Men The method of getting into touch I with the men who have been disabled or discharged owing to sickliness also operates from the central authority. The Auckland office is furnished with lists of men m grade IV. and each man is communicated with by the secretary of the local committee. It is pointed out that the league was instituted to assist men, disabled during service overseas, to regain as far as possible their former positions in civil lite. It is also, explained that this<assistance can be given by way of loans, wages, subsidies, in training the seiviceman, or in establishing him m a I new position suitable to his physical condition. Formerly the soldier was invited' to call at the office of the local committee, but a new scheme has been inaugurated which provides for personal interviews. A field officer is to take over the duty and responsibility of seeing every man who comes within the scope of the work of the re-estab-lishment league in every centre - The local office has to make contact with the men in its area and arrange appointments for interview with the field officer.-There is only one field officer so far,. and his task of i^t er " viewing disabled men throughout the Dominion is no mean one. It is in fact felt that such a procedure will still further retard the operation of rehabilitation. At the interviews each disabled man will be questioned in regard to his inclinations his intentions m the light ol his disability, and will be / d vised by the interviewing officer as to what course or what avocation he should follow. Field Officer's Task There is no provision for a. field officer being situated in the Auckland area which, proportionately, is likely to have much the largest number of men and where there is also situated a . large -military hospital, where disabled men aie treated. Further, the administrative work connected with the officer's function is destined to be considerable. It often happens that disabled men have to visit the office of the local committee and have to be interviewed which, in combination with other administrative duties connected with the existing trading operations, makes a heavy call on the secretary and one assistant, who comprise the staff. The offices are in a most inaccessibla-position from the point of view of disabled men, many of them incapacitated through locomotive injuries, while one room and a small ante-room comprise the entire 'central administrative premises. The Disabled Servicemen's Reestablishment League is destined to play a most important part in the rehabilitation of servicemen and the composition of the integral authority has been carefully designed and should be efficacious. It can be said that theoretically the organisation is splendidly designed to meet the deep obligation that rests on the country to the men whose whole course of life and livelihood has been diverted through grave disabilities sustained in fighting for their country and their country's cause. It must also be remarked again, however, that there is that restraining and delaying procedure of local committees requiring to obtain from a State Department the necessary permission to inaugurate and proceed with schemes that are the very life-blood of the whole scheme. Because of this hampering and circuitous procedure, bright prospects of success may become a story Of dismal failure.