DISABLED SOLDIERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 November 1929, Page 10

DISABLED SOLDIERS

EVIDENCE AT CHRISTCHURCH;

(Per Press Association.),

CHRISTCHURCH, November 26. The Commission of Inquiry regarding the repatriation of partly disabled soldiers sat at Christchurch to-day. The Secretary of the R.S.A., Mr W. F. Willcox, read a statement in which he discussed at length the difficulties of finding employment for partly disabled men. He suggested that more should be done in finding positions for these m en in the Public Seryic . He also detailed the experience of soldier poultry farmers, saying that a disabled man was unable to care for more than 500 birds, and that with this number he was unable to make a living. The Heihei Settlement for poultry farmers, near Christchurch, had proved unsuccessful. He also argued that the conditions of the economic pensions encouraged the men to live in idleness, in that they had to disclose to the Pensions Board .any money they earned. , The witness suggested that the employers should not so readily employmarried women whose husbands had good positions, and should not g, part-time employment to men who already were earning a living wage. In this connection he cited the case oi picture theatre attendants. R T. Tbsswill, Secretary of the Patriotic Fund, said that of the amount collected, there remained £35,219, oi which £5361 was invisted in the Lannerdale Home. Applications for assistance had been dealt with by the Committee as f0110w1926, 669; 1927 674; 1928, 899 ; 1929, 888. The ages’ were: —Under 35 years, 34 per cent. ; 35 to 44 years, 42 per cent. ; 45 to 54 years and over, 12 per cent. The majority of the applications were from unskilled men. Among the applicants there were 28 disabled soldiers who had broken down diiring the past two years. It was becoming more and more'evident that homes and special institutions would be required to house men who were unable to earn their livelihood owing to the effect oi war service, but were not sufficiently

impaired in health to require hospital treatment. He considered the expenditure at the present r ate b y the Patriotic Society could not be con tinned longer than eight years at the most. GREYMOUTH EVIDENCE A meeting of delegates from the Greymouth Branches of the R-S.A. the Patriotic Society was held last evening, when the statements of t position of about 15 disabled returned soldiers were considered, before being forwarded on to Christchurch to be placed before the Commission sitting at present. The statements had to be arranged categorically and considerable evidence was taken. Mr. A. H. McKane, the Greymouth delegate to the Commission will leave tomorrow for Christchurch. ______