Rehabilitation of Fighting Forces

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 121, 23 May 1940, Page 7

Rehabilitation of Fighting Forces

Patriotic Councils Wait on Government WELFARE OF MEN WHEN DISCHARGED *er Pres# Association'. WELLINGTON, May The decisions maue by last woe* *» conference of Patriotic Councils were j placed before the Prime Minister (non. P. Fraser) to-day by a deputation consisting of representatives of the Na Patriotic Council, the National Patriotic Fund Board and Provincial -Patriotic Councils. With the Prime Minister were the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash), the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones) and the Minister of Internal 'Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry). For more than two hours the deputation received a most sympathetic hearing. It was found that the Government, to a large extent, had the same ideas in mind as the recent conference, and it is felt that the welfare of the forces, both in New Zealand and overseas, and upon their return to the Dominion would be better for discussion. Most of the decisions placed before the Prime Minister and his colleagues referred to the rehabilitation of, and benefits for, discharged members of the fighting forces and their dependents. The first of these decisions expressed the opinion that, in view of the fact that the rehabilitation of all discharged members of the fighting forces and their dependents was essentially the responsibility of the Government, and that any assistance from the patriotic funds could be temporary only and supplementary to Government aid, it was imperative that the Government define the extent of its proposed activities regarding rehabilitation and assistance to dependants. Already applications had been received for assistance from men discharged from camp without means to establish themselves in civilian walks.

The Government was asked to make arrangements to pay a minimum of, say, two weeks' pay, plus the relevant allowances for wife and dependant children, when no pension or other army pay was immediately available on discharge to men who wero in future discharged from the fighting forces.

Another resolution of the conference asaed that, irrespective of the period of residence in New Zealand, all men discharged from the New Zealand fighting forces after serving abroad should be cligiole for unemployment and sickness benefits under the Social Security Act. The Government' was also urged to pass legislation prescribing that no benefits received from patriotic organisations should be taken into account so as in any way to reduce tne amount of benefit to which any applicant would otherwise be entitled to under Social | Security, war pensions or other relevant j legislation. In the event of a gratuity being granted to members of the fighting forces after demobilisation, it was i suggested that the methods of payment jbe designed so as to ensure that the I recipient and his dependants obtained the fullest benefit from the gratuity.

Appeal Total Passes £50,000 Mark

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 22. J Up to to-night the Bick, Wounded (and Distress Fund Appeal totalled more than £53,000. The district contributions are: Auckland £12,100, Wellington £BO6O, Canterbury £14,800, Dunedin j £5500, Gisborne £SOO, Napier £SOOO, Taranaki £I2OO, Blenheim £350, Palmerston North £4OOO, Wanganui £I4OO. Odd amounts bring the total to over £53,000.