EX-SERVICEMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 133, 2 December 1944, Page 9

EX-SERVICEMEN

REHABILITATION BILL

PASSED BY HOUSE

After a debate extending from Tuesday afternoon, the Rehabilitation Amendment Bill was. passed in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, with two amendments moved in Committee by the Government. One of the amendments increased the number of persons other than officials who may be appointed to the Rehabilitation Board from four to five, and the number constituting a quorunj of the board was increased from five to six. The other amendment was to a clause dealing with those to whom assistance may be granted. As the clause stood it made provision for servicefmen or servicemen's widows, but it was 'widened to embrace all persons entitled to assistance under the principal Act. ■ Referring to the first amendment, the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr. Skinner) said it was art earnest of the Government's willingness to increase the number of "unofficial" members of the board so as to indicate that there was no desire whatever to have the departmental representatives on the board in a position to outvote the "unofficial" members. Specific provision is made for the Minister of Rehabilitation, the Director of Rehabilitation, the Secretary to the Treasury, one of the joint managing directors of the State Advances Corporation, the Under-Secretary for Lands, and the Under-Secretary of the Native Department being members of the board. Under the amendment passed by the House up to five other members may be appointed. OPPOSITION AMENDMENT. An Opposition amendment dealing with the constitution of the board, moved by Mr. T. L. Macdonald (Mataura), was defeated on a division by 39 votes to 32. This sought to provide for two of the "unofficial" members of the board being nominated by the New Zealand Returned Services' Association, and for the "unofficial" members to have full voting power; for the departmental representatives to be associate members of the board with authority to take part in the discussion of any matter before a meeting of the board, but having no voting power. Mr. T. C. Webb (National, Kaipara), who supported Mr. Macdonald's amendment, said it seemed to him that the N Z.R.S.A. should have direct1 representation and that it should not be left to the Minister to select all the members of the board. It should be obligatory to include two members nominated by the R.S.A., and that would keep the association directly in touch with the board and the board directly in touch with the association. Mr Skinner said that every member of the board, with one exception, was a member of the R.S.A. In almost every step that was taken the R.S.A. was consulted and the association was represented on all the local committees. The responsibility was that of the Government, and it could not accede to any suggestion of the job being handed over to the R.S.A. or any other organisation. While they were responsible for the administration, then they should say they were going to run the job. Mr. T. C. Webb: I thought you said you were looking for help. Mr. Skinner: I am only too happy to discuss with the R.S.A. any new development, but I don't think we are justified in handing to the R.S.A. or any other organisation the right to appoint anyone to the board. STATE* OFFICERS' STATUS. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford) said that surely officers of the State who were paid servants of the country shuuld be in an administrative and not in a judicial capacity. He could not understand the attitude of the Minister. The Prime Minister said that the Government's mind was completely made up. The amendment was an attack upon the form of the Government's plans for the board/ and he thought nothing was to be gained by discussing the matter further. He had no knowledge of the R.S.A. having put forward the proposal contained in the Opposition amendment. Mr. Skinner: At no time have they ever suggested this. The Opposition called for a division, and the amendment was lost, the Government amendment being carried. The remaining stages of the committee discussion did not occupy much further time, and the Bill was then read a third time and passed.