EMPLOYMENT OF EX-SOLDIERS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20251, 1 June 1931, Page 4

EMPLOYMENT OF EX-SOLDIERS.

MR COATES PROMISES SUPPORT. THE REHABILITATION ACT. That he would make every effort to have the Rehabilitation Act put into effect, that he supported preference of employment being giveu to returned men, and that, if he were again Prime Minister, he would seek to have the promises which were made the soldiers entered in the Statute Book, were the replies given by the Leader of the Opposition (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) to a deputation from the Christchurch Heturned Soldiers' Association which waited on him on Saturday morning. Mi-Coates agreed with members of the deputation that the sacrifices of the returned men were too easily being forgotten. The deputation comprised the president of the Association (the Eev. F. T. Bead), the secretary (Mr E. P. Willcox), and Mr T. L. Drummond. On Friday it had interviewed the Leader of the Labour Party Mr H. E. Holland, on the same questions The Rev. F. T. Read said that the Association wished to impress tho hardships under which ex-servicemen lived to-day. Although the Rehabilitation Act had been passed, it was never put into effoct. Further, the Association wished it established that returned men should be givon preference in employment.

Giving Effect to the Act. Mr T. L. Drummond asked Mr Coates whether, if he were elected Prime Minister, he would give effect to the Act and tho establishment of preference for returned men'. "Put it like this," said Mr Coatee. "Whoever is on tho Treasury Benches, you ask me to support your wishes. To that I say yesj certainly." Mr Drummond urged that tho men who had saved the country's laws should bo allowed to benefit by them. "I feel very, very sore about the position, which' is getting worse," said Mr Drummond. "We must get something done." Mr E. I\ Willcox urged that tho Government should appoint advisory committeos and set up vocational officers, according to tho terms of the Act. Question of Administration. "With reference to the Commission's report," said Mr Coates^. "you will remember that we had a long conference in Wellington. The estimate given by the Commission for putting the scheme into operation was attacked as being in excess of what the amount actually should be. The Conference in the first place determined to ask for the initiation of tho Commission's report, and that is contained in the legislation already passod, The Act entails the setting up of advisory committees and vocational officers. The legislation was passed and it is now only a matter of administration.when those Committees aro to be set up. Personally, I cannot believe that it would bo very expensive to have vocational officers appointed in the main centres, whose duty it would bo to try to find suitable employment for the returned men. I understand that nothing has been done at all."

Mr Willcox: Nominations have been asked for and each Association seqt a nominee. That was about three months ago. • Mr Coates acldcd that it was expected that the Unemployment Board,, through the local committee, would handle part of the problem. j Mr Wlllcox said that preference dtas given to returned men by tho, Lablur Bureau. y I

"The plana can. all bo laid," said Mr Coates. "The administrative costs wofld not be so particularly great. All fee planning can be done with the object of finding work for returned men who are now receiving economic pensions. I sec no reason why all that preparation should not go ahead, and I am prepared to ask the Government to move in that direction."

Preference for Ex-Servicemen. On the question of preference, Mr Coates said that one thing the returned men had to face was the decreasing publie. interest. Mr Drummond: That time has arrived. Mr Coates: Looking at everything, I'm very sorry to say that it has. As a result of war service, the health of the men was failing, he added. Hundreds of riien were soldiering on to-day although they were worn out. lie heard of men pleading for a rest to recuperate. . Mr Bead: They are ndt able to prove that their frailty is the result of war service. The men wore promised preference when they returned from the front, continued Mr Coates. Yet recently, when Government staffs were reduced, the question of preference should have received the fullest consideration. Returned isoldiers with families and responsibilities were some of the first to be turned out; and he urged that this was wrong. Surely the declaration that the men were to be safe in employment should have niade it incumbent upon the Government to respect their positions. In some instances, single men had been put in their places. Mr Willcox: The trouble was that the prbmises were never, put into Statutes. A Promise Not Kept. "Don't you think that when the Prime Minister, Mr Massey, made a promise, the people expected it to be kept?" asked Mr Coates. "But it is not being kept," said Mr Drummond. t "The promise was forgotten and we want to nail it down, now. Wc want to know whether if you are Prime Minister you will see to the returned soldiers."' . "I am only too , glad to say that L would see that their efforts for the country are not forgotten," replied lylr Coates. "It is most regrettable that their work should be forgotten as it has been." '' .' V "This is a duty beyond all Party consideration, and I believe that the majority of members of Parliament aro •with me." . ■