DISABLED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 6

DISABLED SOLDIERS

RE-ESTABLISHMENT LEAGUE

A meeting of the Soldiers' Civil Reestablishment League (Inc.) was held on Monday night under the chairmanship of Mr. C. W. Batten. The league consists of representatives nominated by the following bodies and appointed by the Government for a period of three years:—New Zealand Government, Mr. L. G. Lowry, M.P., Mr B. W. Waters; New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, Messrs. C W. Batten, J. I. Goldsmith, G. A. Hayden; New Zealand Employers' Federation, Mr. J. Cable; New Zealand Manufacturers' Association, Mr. W. G. Harrison; National War. Funds Council, Messrs. L. O. H. Tripp, C. O. Bell; New Zealand Federation of Labour, Mr. J Read; South African Veterans' Association, Mr. J. J. Clark; New Zealand Red Cross Society, Dr. H. G. Robertson, Mr. E. C. Hale. Mr. T. Lawless was appointed general secretary of the league, as Mr. G. E. Sadd has retired. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) wrote giving his approval to an alteration in the rules of the league to provide that disabled soldiers of the present war shall be eligible for all benefits offered by the league.

After the last war, members of the forces were, on return to New Zealand, granted free vocational training at technical colleges, and as the result of the league's representations, the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) advised that the same privileges would be granted to soldiers of the 2nd N.Z.E.F.

It was reported that with the experience gained from the last war of the difficulty in re-establishing disabled soldiers who had, prior to their enlistment, not completed their apprenticeship, and who were not therefore fullyqualified tradesmen, representations were made to the Government, and the Minister of Labour advised that apprentices who were within one year of the completion of their apprenticeship in any trade would be required to remain at their trade for the completion of their apprenticeship before enlisting for active service.

Messrs. Batten, Harrison, Waters, and Bell were appointed as management committee of the league.

Reports from branches at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin showed that the leagues factories, which are staffed by disabled soldiers, and the disabled soldiers* shops, which retail goods made by disabled soldiers in their own homes, were all making satisfactory progress.