FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21148, 26 April 1934, Page 5

FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS

♦ I THE COMMITTEE'S WORK j ACTIVITIES REVIEWED The work done by the Christchurch Disabled Soldiers' Civil Re-establish-ment Committee and the outlook for disabled men in the future were reviewed at a largely attended meet-, 1 ing of men called by the committee! in the Jellicoe Hall on Tuesday. The secretary, Mr W. E. Leadley. gave an j account of the number of men assisted and Messrs S. F. Marshall, secretary: of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club, and' W. Turner, editor of the. club's "Review," spoke on the possi- j bilities of poultrv farming as a source of additional income for partly disabled men. . J Mr E. F. Willcox. deputy-chairman of the committee, who presided m the absence of the chairman. Mr H. hoi-j land, M.P., outlined the history of the | committee, and explained why tue j meeting had been called. I Presenting his review, Mr Le'KUcy, said the Chrislchureh committee had ■ about £220 in hand. The meeting might not think that very mucTi, but, the headquarters of the committee m [ Wellington had £5300. and that could; Ibe drawn upon. With the present 'large number of unemployed youths; and men it would be recognised that' the committee had a ditlicult. task he-! fore it 1o find ordinary work for disabled or partly disabled men. The, men dealt, with so far were c'nssiaed . as'follows:—

Handicrafts Another scheme on which men hud been engaged was in handicrafts, said Mr Leadlov. This scheme- had been started at 'the Christchurch Wind r Show in August, 19.T2. aud later a -hop had been opened in Worcester street. The scheme had paid its way and agencies had been opened in two towns. It was hoped to open fur'iuu' agencies soon. ••The committee i? able to lake applications from all disabled soldier*." said Mr Leadley, "whether 'hey Dave a pension or not. If any man has a proposition which require? (ii-ancial assistance, the committer will be glad to consider it." Colonel J. Murphy said the committee had searched all avenues of employment, and it had succeeded to a certain extent. It felt it had n«.;. dene all it would like to have done, but the men could rest assured tint the committee was wholeheartedly behind them. Dr. D. E. Hansen said a number of clashes had been formed at the Technical College for disabled soldiers in trades such as boot repairing and motor engineering, and he was very proud of the results achieved. He reminded the men that the children of disabled soldiers were allowed .£5 for secondary education at day schools and 30s "at night schools. As far as he knew, there were 50 day and 20 or .'io night students now drawing allowances. Possibilities of Poultry Keeping "I am satistied that pouUry keeping is a payable proposition if a man has certain "qualifications," said Mr Marshall. The Government had assisted a number of men on to poultry farms at Avonhead after the war, but the result had not been satisfactory cither to the Government or to the men. It was his opinion that insufficient care had been exercised in the selection of the men. If a man had aptitude for that sort of work, he had more than an even chance of having his labour and time repaid. Mr Marshall said. If a man was seriously disabled, however, poultry farming was not a line to be taken up. There was a lot of hard work in it and it was highly technical. Mr Turner dealt with poultry management. Both speakers answered several questions and were accorded a vote of thanks.

Permanent work obtained 54 Temporary work obtained (one to six months) 12G Men in regular part-time employment (tally clerks, stevedores, postmen, etc.) 41 Assisted to commence business 16 Assisted to secure small farms for market gardening;, etc. . G Assisted to commence Angora rabbi I farming 22 Assisted to- commence poultry farming 1 Assisted to commence early flower cultivation 3 Assisted to commence tobacco growing - Receiving vocational Iranui;;.? at. 1he Christchurcli Toctinical College and School of Art. . 23 Adult apprentices i Classed as unemployable 73 Deceased a