CIVILIAN AID

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 151, 28 June 1945, Page 6

CIVILIAN AID

MEN BACK FROM WAR

ACTIVITIES IN PROVINCE

To help returned servicemen to re-establish themselves in civil life and to give any necessary assistance to the wives and families of men on war service, a branch of the Rehabilitation Civic League was formed at an enthusiastic and representative meeting of citizens held in the Chamben of Commerce Hall yesterday afternoon. The Mayor, Mr. Allum, presided during the early part of the meeting, which was concluded under Mr. R. A. Laidlaw.

Substantial donations, amounting to over £5000, had been already received to promote the objects of the league in Auckland, said Mr. D. V. Bryant, of Hamilton, who explained the aims of the movement. These included £1000 from Sir Frank Mappin and £250 from Messrs. R. and W. Hellaby, and £100 from the Farmers' Trading Company. It was expected that the funds would be rapidly increased as a result of sums promised by other donors. "This is a civilian organisation in which we hope to have eventually 400,000 members throughout New Zealand," said Mr. Bryant. "The 'first object is to interest everyone in rehabilitation and to attract individual contributions , and support, even to the" extent of settling men on the land by private assistance and effort." Men Settled on Farms A good many men had already been placed on farms through the activities of the organisation in the Waikato, he said. The league, however, did not own any land, nor had it any houses. Its endeavours were directed to influencing private individuals to help in every possible way according to their means. One estate settled had an area of 2500 acres, which had been secured for the benefit of ex-servicemen at a price a good deal below its 1942 basic value. Also, the whole of the administration was being carried out free of cost, and a farmer of exceptional ability was giving his services for supervision in an honorary capacity. The league was most anxious to extend this method of giving assistance, and was working hard in hand with the Rehabilitation Department of the Government.

To deal with the urgent problem of homes for ex-servicemen and their families, the league had appealed to the Government to modify the Fair Rents Act so that people who had rooms to spare and had not let them before could make them available in such cases without being bound down indefinitely. Nothing could be done until this modification was made, but then it was hoped that many families which were at present divided because of the lack of homes could be reunited. An appeal, which it was hoped would be fully supported by the churches, would be made in all parts of New Zealand for the co-operation of citizens in giving relief in this and other directions.

Holiday Schemes

y Whether the funds raised were pooled or were expended in the localities where they were received still had to be decided, stated Mr. Bryant. Besides money, voluntary help was needed in various ways and he mentioned the efforts of Hamilton people in helping returned men who had not fully recovered from war disabilities to break in sections. Also the Waikato movement had found ..that much good, could be done by enabling wives to enjoy much-needed holidays while their husbands were, overseas or upon their return and so far nearly a thousand dependents of soldiers, including numerous war widows, had been helped in this way. To maintain this branch of the work £3000 a year for two- years had been provided in the form of a grant made by the Bryant House trustees. Among the guests who had benefited by this hospitality were 150 from Auckland. In children's camps a summer holiday had been given to 300 children.

-j If the Rehabilitation Civic League could build up funds by a large body of contributing members, each giving 10/ a year, it would be possible to extend rapidly the scope of this and other forms of necessary assistance, he said. It was expected that hospitality would absorb perhaps half the revenue. Ex-servicemen and women should be granted honorary membership of the league. Eventually the headquarters of the league would be established in Wellington. - Effects of War Strain An - appeal for extension of the hospitality scheme as quickly as possible was made by Mrs. Ward Chapman, also of Hamilton, who said it was most necessary that the strain on wives and widows as a result of the war should be rielieved without delay. She quoted instances of how the league had helped deserving cases and read appreciative letter from those who had benefited.

New Zealand's problems of rehabilitation,. particularly in regard to, housing, though apparently great, were comparatively simple when the situation in Britain was borne in mind, sSid Mr; Laidlaw.

.The meeting appointed a provisional ' committee, consisting of Sir Frank Mappin, the Revs. E. B. Moore and E. T. Olds, Messrs. R. W. Steel, A. U. Wells, R. D. Cowie and C J.. Garland, Mesdames J. A. C. Allum and E. H. Mackay and Miss Joan Rattray, with power to add to its number.