STRONG PROTEST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21964, 7 March 1946, Page 6

STRONG PROTEST

LOAN APPLICANTS DEPARTMENTAL DELAYS RELAY THROUGH NAPIER Allegations that servicemen in (his district arc not getting the treatment they are entitled to in matters of rehabilitation finance were made at a meeting of the Gisborne Returned Services’ Association executive last evening. The following motion was recorded:— “That this executive meeting of the Gisborne Returned Services’ Association protest against the present lack of a‘local rehabilitation committee with the executive powers granted to committees in other centres, such as Napier; and urges that a district branch of the State Advances Corporation be established immediately in Gisborne, on the ground that district returned men are not receiving the treatment they are entitled to, and that local indignation is serious in regard to the delays resulting

therefrom.” The meeting supported the motion unanimously, and directed that the New Zealand headquarters of the association be asked to make urgent representations to the Government on the matter, pointing out that all local organisations with knowledge of the situation confirm the state of affairs indicated by the motion; and that the establishment of the branch office of the State Advances Corporation in this district had the “open support” of Messrs. D. W. Coleman and W. Sullivan, M.Ps. Local Officers’ Good Work It was stated that no criticism was offered of the work of local officers of the Rehabilitation Department and the State Advances Corporation, whose efforts on behalf of returned servicemen were warmly appreciated. Discussion arose from an inquiry from the Tolaga Bay sub-association on the progress made with a register of farm properties which it had been recommended should be established for the information of those seeking settlement opportunities. The secretary reported that to date no information had been forthcoming on which to open the register, and that owners of land who might be disposed to sell under persuasion were reluctant to put their names on a list which might seem to commit them to selling. The general reluctance of landowners was commented on by several members, and it was remarked that the delays which occurred in bringing sales to finality, where rehabilitation finance was involved, undoubtedly made such sales unpopular with vendors. Director’s Claim Challenged

Reference was made to the recent claim by the director of rehabilitation, to the effect that sales through the rehabilitation organisation were not subject to unreasonable delays; but in rebuttal of this claim several cases were cited in which repeated applications for finality had had to be made. It was stated that the average time taken to clean up an application for a loan through the Rehabilitation Department and State Advances Corporation was approximately two months, the delays being attributed to the necessity of passing all Gisborne applications through the Napier office of the corporation, and for all inquiries and requisitions to be relayed through that office to Wellington. It was argued that until full executive powers could be given to the rehabilitation committee in Gisborne, these delays would continue. The extension of executive powers to the Gisborne committee could only be effected when the State Advances Corporation was represented by a full staff here; and therefore the first step was to secure the elevation of the corporation s branch in Gisborne to full status. ... “Until we get the power to deal with cases immediately, the rehabilitation committee is simply wasting its own and the applicants’ time, ’ said one member of the executive.