REHABILITATION AID

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 104, 30 October 1945, Page 8

REHABILITATION AID

MAGNITUDE OF TASK

The unprecedented rapid growth of the Rehabilitation Department and the magnitude of the task it was called upon to perform were referred to by the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr. Skinner), addressing a national conference of rehabilitation officers in Wellington yesterday. There was no other organisation in the history of New Zealand, he said, which had grown so quickly and which had been called upon to do such a tremendous job. It had done amazingly well, and would" be called upon to do bigger work yet.

"Your tact may be strained to the uttermost and you will have to be very tolerant," continued Mr. Skinner. "We have to do everything we can to work with other departments of State and with those well-meaning private organisations which are wanting to help us in rehabilitation." Some of the ex-servicemen themselves might be difficult to handle as rehabilitation subjects, and would need considerable tact and understanding.

"I am quite sure that the experience you have had in your everyday work in your districts will enable us to overcome many of the difficulties that loom largely at the present time. We are looking forward to big things from this conference."

The Director of Rehabilitation (Mr. F. W. Baker) also paid a tribute to the work done by his staff. The strengthening of staff in the districts, particularly in matters connected with educational assistance, trade, and occupational training, and investigation* of business ventures, were necessary prerequisites of decentralisation, which the Rehabilitation Board wished to carry just as far as a State organisation could sensibly carry it. The next few months would see the peak rehabilitation period, which would probably continue -for from 12 to 18 months.

Mr. Baker added that in certain fields they were not always able to assist ex-servicemen immediately because the facilities were not available, but where a man's needs arose directly from his war service he must be given particular consideration. "We must assist in providing reasonable employment and housing conditions for the men who have served in the forces."