REHABILITATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 November 1944, Page 3

REHABILITATION

GREY-HOKITIKA ACTIVITIES.

There were 567 ex-servicemen and women registered with the Rehabilitation Department at Greymouth at the end of October according to the monthly report of the District Rehabilitation Officer, (Mr. A. N. Campbell). This total is made up of 372 returned men, and two returned women and 189 men and four women from New Zealand camps. The names of six dependents of deceased servicemen also appear on the books. Sixteen returned men, one returned woman, and three home-servicemen are awaiting release from the forces. Twenty returned men and eight home servicemen are recuperating. Nineteen men from overseas and six from New Zealand camps have returned to military duty. During October, the Greymouth Rehabilitation Committee recommended five housing loans totalling £3275, four business loans, totalling £ 1,900, four furniture loans, totalling £4OO and one interest free loan of £45. The Hokitika Committee recommended two furniture loans of £lOO each.

There are 15 ex-servicemen on the preferential list for State rental houses in Greymouth, and four on the Hokitika list. One house was allocated in Greymouth during the month. Four ex-servicemen in Greymouth and three in Hokitika are in receipt of rehabilitation allowance.

With the good money to be made from whitebaiting, the employment situation has eased, though there is still a dearth of light work suitable for partly disabled men. Timber work is attracting fit men and there is a growing interest in taxi- and transport businesses. No taxi licenses are available, however. Gold dredges are offering employment of a not too strenuous nature.

To assist ex-servicemen in the purchase of farms, businesses, and houses, the Department’s Greymouth office, in common with other branches, has established a register of suitable properties. Officers of the Department visited all parts of Westland during October, and the South Island Maori Rehabilitation Officer, Mr. J. T. Gilroy, was in the district for a week. The following is the principal disposal of the 492 personnel who have been rehabilitated: undergoing full time occupational training, 3; placed with pre-service employers, 175; placed with subsidy with other private employers. 8: placed without subsidy with other private employers, 44; self placed with other private employers, 118; placed without subsidy in State employment, 35; self placed without subsidy in State employment, 30; returned to own businesses, 15; returned to own farms, 10; acquired own farms, 2; depending on private means, 4. Men placed on a subsidy basis with private employers are learning such occupations as carpentry, cabinet-making, watch-mak- I ing, window-dressing, printing, and I motor mcehanics.