REHABILITATION.

Evening Star, Issue 24016, 15 October 1941, Page 6

REHABILITATION.

Two important speeches were made in the House of Representatives last night when the second reading of tiie Rehabilitation Bill was moved. It is high time that a practical and well-planned scheme was established, for servicemen are already returning to the Dominion because of sickness or wounds. On the point that tho best possible must be done for those who have fought and suffered for the Umpire in the great crisis there will ho general agreement. The only difference that may arise inside and outside Parliament is on tho measures to be employed. After the last war efforts were made by the Government to meet the position when the men came back, but naturally enough in the circumstances many costly mistakes were made. The experience gained, however, will be valuable at tho present juncture. As Mr Nash explained last night, the chief task in the rehabilitation plans will be to put the men who return as far ns is humanly possible whore they would have been had they not gone away. One remark by the Minister, which will be endorsed, was that if it is possible to place the men who fought in a better position than those who remained behind that will be done. It is only reasonable that if individuals have principles that will not allow them to defend their country, and the women and children in it, from a brutal and remorseless enemy, they should at least be willing to see preferential treatment accorded to those who have gladly risked everything in the great cause. Suitable work will be the salvation of the men who come back after the unsettling stress of war service, and the Government is looking for avenues to meet this problem. The Minister said that one would he the expansion of various Public Works enterprises. As he explained, there would not be enough room to put all the returned men on the land, and it would not be wise to do so in any case, for farming to-day is a highly-skilled occupation, and only those who have the aptitude and necessary knowledge are likely to be successful. in this particular sphere. The Leader of the Opposition made some useful contributions to the discussion. Ono suggestion was that a separate Ministry should be established under the charge of a Minister who could give all his time to administering the schemes of rehabilitation. Another practical proposal advanced by Mr Holland was that a non-party Parliamentary Committee should study the problem of rehabilitation and prepare a scheme for returning ex-servicemen to civil life. The Opposition Leader’s chief criticism was directed to what he described as tho unlimited powers given to the Minister in charge of rehabilitation. It is another illustration of the growth of bureaucratic control under the present Government. There are numerous flaws in the measure that need amendment. The danger is that in the dying hours of the session the Bill may he pressed through Parliament without full consideration being given to important debatable points that have been raised.