AFTER THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 229, 24 June 1941, Page 8

AFTER THE WAR

Rehabilitation Of Soldiers . PLACE IN INDUSTRY

Recommendations Of Special Committee

Suggestions for the rehabilitation of soldiers after the war were presented by a special sub-committee in a report at last,night’s meeting of the Wellington Technical College Board. The committee recommended: “That the Government be asked to set up al national body to organize and to control the rehabilitation of men returning from military and naval activities so that fit men may be readily replaced in industrial activity by the Placement Office and preparation made for training disabled and partially disabled men for occupation that will enable them to take a fit place in our economic life.” Among the committee’s recoinineudations were the setting up of a competent committee to survey the present and possible future industrial development of New Zealand, so that accurate information might be available concern-, ing industries'into which'men might be drafted after the cessation of mill tary activities, and to determine further the lines along which industrial development should take place to tnalntain a balanced national’ income; the committee in its survey to pay due regard to the possibility of industrial employment for partially disabled soldieys; ; Gradual Demobilization. The committee recommended that demobilization of men from the forces should not take place till they could be absorbed into industry, so that the re-establishment of industrial activities and the development would be closely co-ordinated with the supply of the labour available. The demobilization of partially-disabled men should be on the advice of a committee consisting of surgical, t ledical and industrial members, each committee to have, in addition, at least one skilled vocational guidance member. <

Another recommendation wgs that the training required for the rehabilitation of men where industry was unable to provide it, should be provided by the organization of work in technical colleges throughout New Zealand in. such a way as to enable all.the training required to be given. The control of this training, it was suggested, should be under the Education Department aud national and local apprenticeship committees. and. if necessary, special regulations to enable the extension or the medication of facilities for this specific purpose should be made. Placement of Men.

“Officers of the National Service Department Placement branch will, become responsible for finding positions aud placing men in them. The com mittee recommends that there be the closest possible association between employers’ and workers’ organizations, placement officers and the officers of the Education Department responsible for the training that is to be given so that immediately men have become reasonably efficient positions may .be found for them;

“The committee recommends that, till men are placed in industry they should remain a charge ou State funds, and that, when they are employed, the charge should be divided between industry. commerce and the State on a sliding scale dependent on' the efficiency of the worker. The payment of subsidies by the State should depend on the report of independent officers capable of . judging the efficiency of the training and of the work done by trainees and adult apprentices. The general principle governing pensions to partially disabled men and subsidies to normal.men should lie to make them equivalent to the standard rate of pay of a trained, and efficient worker." In the case of men totall. incapacitated for .industrial work but who could make some contribution to the national Income, the committee recommended that a committee be set up to decide suitable activities, the products of which should b.e marketable: that the goods be marketed at competitive rates: that a portion of the proceeds be paid to the producers; and that the training of such people be undertaken bv technical schools. Mr J J Clark said the report was valuable in that it would help the Government to avoid the mistakes made after the last war

It was agreed that a copy of the re port lie sent to the Acting-Prime Min Ister Mr Nash. the Minister of Educa tion. Mr Mason, and the Director of Education Di Beeby.