FARMING COMMITTEES

Evening Star, Issue 25171, 10 May 1944, Page 5

FARMING COMMITTEES

MERELY EXTENSION OF WORK

DON'T REPLACE REHABILITATION COMMITTEES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 9. " From - statements appearing in thePress recently, it appears that some misunderstanding has arisen regarding the functions of the farming sub-committees that have receiitly been appointed," states the Director of Rehabilitation (Mr F. Baker). " Those sub-committees have been provided in 54 districts to grade applicants for farming loans and to determine what additional training might be necessary in anv particular case to ensure that th» applicant will .be capable of managing a property of his own. The question of eligibility and the degree of assistants which should be offered, however, remain the responsibility of the local Rehabilitation Committee, who, after considering any particular case, will refer those applicants who are' eligible for assistance to the sub-com-mittee for grading. " The personnel of the farming sub-com-mittees comprises—(l) the chairman, an nxpenenced tanner appointed by the local Itchabilitation Committee, preferably a member of a Rehabilitation Committee and an ex-serviceman of this or the last war; (2) a representative of the Lands and Survey Department; (3) a representative of the State Advances Corporation; (4) the secretary, a member of the staff of the local district rehabilitation office, As there are several farming sub-committees in some districts, it is considered that the district rehabilitation officer would not himself have sufficient time available to act as secretary. " The sub-committees have power to coopt the field officers of the Department of Agriculture and other experienced farmers to assist them in deciding the grading of. any particular applicant. There seems to 1 have gained currency an erroneous impression that the setting Sup of farming subcommittees cuts away the work of the rehabilitation committees. The farming subcommittees are needed for the technicaland practical work relating to land settlement and farming. The great bulk of the work to be done by the rehabilitation committees has not been affected in any way, and they are .still required to, supervise the rehabilitation of all ex-servicemen in their district, determine all question* of eligibility, allocate State houses, and generally, to act as agents for the Rehabilitation Board in their particular district. " As time goes on it will no doubt b» found necessary to appoint sub-committees of local rehabilitation committees to assist in other/ field's of rehabilitation, and in fact this arrangement already exists in many centres."