VETERANS' HOME?

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1929, Page 11

VETERANS' HOME?

DISABLED EX-SOLDIERS

INVESTIGATION BY COMMISSION

In accordance with the terms oi a resolution passed by the Dominion Coun. eil of the New Zealand Beturned Soldiers' Association iv June last, a Commission has been appointed consisting of one member from each of the four provinces, together with the Dominion President, to thoroughly investigate the need for the establishment of veterans' homes or farm colonies for ex-soldiers. Preliminaries in connection with I^lo Commission were discussed at a meeting of B.S.A. officers held in Wellington this week. " After consideration of the various points of view and discussion of the suggestions and decisions of the N.Z.E.F. Canteen and Begimental ■Trust Funds Board, it was decided that definite particulars should be collected throughout the .Dominion for presentation to the Commission at a later date. The New Zealand Beturned Soldiers' Association's Executive Standing SubCommittee is to bo requested to allow the-General Secretary (Mr. S. J. Harrison) to visit-the four centres for the purpose of collecting evidence and prepariug.:it in terms of the following order of reference:—.

Scope.—To' thoroughly investigate the need for the establishment of veterans' homes or farm colonies.

Categories.—Each class of case considered needy to be summarised, but supporting detail to be 1 in hand in case required: (I),Those ■'whose habits are responsible: for their plight; (2) unemployable cx-servico men by reason of old age, premature old ago, disabilities, etc./and the "misfits" generally, who are not receiving war pensions j (3) "unemployable" war pensioners single and without dependants; (4) • disabled ex-soldiers who could earn if suitable employment could bo made available; (5) disabled ■ex-soldiers in "dead-end" or temporary situations including those relying on seasonal -work and thoso iv positions created out of sympathy; ((j) disabled ox-soldiers relying on their efforts (in. their homes) at basket-mak-ing, rafiia, and such work to supplement ■their incomes: and (7) convalescent exsoldiers 'whose' medical advisers consider- that/ liglit employment would be beneficial.

A definite attempt is' to bo 'made to solve a problem which has caused the New Zealand Beturned Soldiers' Association and other organisations which come in .contact with the ' ex-service men a considerable amount of concern. If a solution can be' found after careful investigation if will be of substantial benefit not only to the men concerned but to the Dominion as a whole. It has been suggested that the most feasible and economical solution would be to provide, by means of carefully thought-out workshops for the utilisation of the remaining earning ability of the men who at present cannot obtain work suitable for their complaints, and disablements. Such a scheme, if adopted, would when the veterans are provided for, furnish the- Dominion with an avenue for employing people injured in industrial pursuits and other walks of life.