EXTRA RELIEF

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20624, 27 November 1941, Page 10

EXTRA RELIEF

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS WELFARE BODIES’ DUTY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Committees set up by the provincial patriotic councils and their district organisations to provide, where necessary, an extra measure of relief for discharged ex-servicemen and their dependants over and above the provision made by the State until their cases have been dealt with by the appropriate State authorities, are to be known henceforth as welfare committees and not rehabilitation committees. Rehabilitation is the responsibility fully accepted by the Government and it has no desire to pass it on to the patriotic organisations. Attention was drawn to this by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, when opening the national conference of patriotic bodies last week, and he expressed the hope that a word or phrase would be found that would more clearly contrast the respective responsibilities of the Government and the patriotic organisations. The conference decided on the name “welfare.” In announcing this, Mr. Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, said it was recognised that no matter, however well disposed towards ex-service-men a Government was, there were always exceptional cases calling for some extra assistance, the granting of which would mean much to a returned man and his dependants on his resuming civil life. A proportion of the patriotic funds was being set aside for this purpose and this was the policy, it was felt, that would meet with the full approval of the public.