REHABILITATION

Evening Star, Issue 25634, 7 November 1945, Page 10

REHABILITATION

| MINISTER DISCUSSES MANY ASPECTS STATE HOUSES ALLOCATIONS THE ALLOWANCE PAYMENTS CLARIFIED (Special.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. An assurance that the Rehabilitation Department did not keep its fingers on the strings in Wellington any more than was absolutely necessary was given in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr Skinner); during the discussion on the Estimates for the department. The department, he 6aid, would continue with its decentralisation schemes, and he sincerely hoped that eventually every aspect of rehabilitation would- be decentralised. Much of the success that had been achieved to date had been due to the rehabilitation committees, which were doing excellent work. It had been suggested that they should be given more power. In all the land districts, except two, executive committees had been. set up with power to grant loans. That arrangement had worked yery well indeed, and as soon as possible further decentralisation would be carried out. The question of increasing the allocation of State houses to returned servicemen had been discussed on several occasions, and further discussions were being carried on, but no decision had yet been reached, said the Minister of Rehabilitation, in replying to a point raised. The percentage of urgent cases among civilian applicants for State houses was higher than among returned servicemen, he said, and when one viewed the housing position as a whole it was difficult to increase the allocation to servicemen.

Referring to housing construction, the Minister said the of homes on servicemen's settlement blocks was a first priority, and if the building contractors to undertake that work could be obtained they would be assured of a supply of necessary materials. Commenting that there seemed to be some misapprehension in the matter, the Minister clarified the position regarding pavment of rehabilitation allowances. They were not available for servicemen, he said, if. work were available. If a man on a farm required assistance, he could get a seasonal grant, and in case of a business, application could be made to a committee, which might make a grant. The 13 weeks' rehabilitation allowance, however, was available only if there were no work available. '