RETURNED MEN

Grey River Argus, 12 May 1945, Page 7

RETURNED MEN

MALADJUSTMENT PROBLEM DISCUSSED P 'A K< WELLINGTON, May 11 Doubt as to whether ex-servicemen who had returned from the war psychologically maladjusted were receiving the advice they should, was expressed by several members of the ' New Zealand Vocational Guidance Association at the annual conference when the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr. Skinner) after addressing the conference invited questions. A motion proposing to the Government a remedy is to be placed before the conference to-day. Mr. L. S. Hearnshaw (Wellington) who raised the subject said he felt disquiet at thousands of men not being able to get any advice on the subject of maladjustment. One way to satisfy people who had these doubts would be to get an overseas expert to give a frank report on what New Zealand was doing. Mr. Skinner replied that on the surface it would appear very little was being done. Advice from overseas was that the worst thing to do with such men was to put them together in an institution. Australia had done that and. now doubted whether it was the best thing to do, there being fgars that the men would be there for the rest of their lives. They would be better living as normal a life as they could instead of being constantly reminded of their trouble. New Zealand had an intermediate scheme under which men were employed outdoors on interesting work. Near Dunedin, there was a garden where up to fifteen men at a time had been employed ana the results had been encouraging. The president, Doctor R. Winterbourn, said a good deal more could be done for the class of person Mr. Hearnshaw had mentioned. He agreed with the suggestion that overseas advice be obtained. (Mr. Skinner asked members if they had many cases of this kind Mr. G. M. Keys (Christchurch). They are very often hard to recognise. There are more than I at. first thought. It is rather easy to overlook them. ~ , , Doctor Winterbourn said that m view of Mr. Skinner’s prise at the unanimity of opimon among the members, the subject should be followed uplhe had been pointed out clearly to tne Minister of Health (Mr. N , or^ n 7 '®/ e by a Christchurch group, but not to Mr. Skinner previously. Mr. Hearnshaw agreed to diait a motion to be submitted to to-daj s session. RECOMMENDATIONS OF CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, Maj' 11. Arising from a discussion at the anunal conference of the New . Zealand Vocational Guidance Association yesterday about the inadequacy said to exist' of skilled advisers for men returning from war with neuroses, the conferecne to-day carried the following motion: “That this con " Terence, after hearing a statement bv the Minister of Rehabilitation and while appreciating the excellent work being carried out by the Rehabilitation Department, is nevertheless ol opinion that more assistance could be given to returned mien suffering from war neuroses and minor personality maladjustments. We consider that as an immediate step more use might be made of the services of lay and University psychologists already m the Dominion, but that to place the matter on a finally satisfactory footing the Department should obtain the advice of an overseas expert in psychological medicine thoroughly acquainted with modern methods of treatment.” The motion is to be forwarded to the Minister of Rehabilitation with whom the subject was raised while he was at the conference yesterday.