Disabled Soldierrs

Northern Advocate, 30 June 1943, Page 4

Disabled Soldierrs

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Addressing the annual conference of the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League, which assembled today, the Prime Minister (Mr. Eraser) said that up to March ill last. 35GS disability cases, that was to say men who did not regain full employability after normal eojrvab'scence. had passed through the hands of the rehabilitation board. Of ISSG of these, who were returned men from overseas, 11 ft() were already working or otherwise established in civil life. Of 1082 who had seen service in New Zealand, only 1269 had been established in civil life. In all the larger hospitals and Haumcr and Rotorua, occupational therapy tuition had been given to disabled men. This had been invaluable in hastening readjustment. to new situations and had been continued in recuperative employment specially selected by officers of the Rehabilitation Board or Disabled .Servicemen’s Re-establishment League, he said. The Rehabilitation Board was conducting an industrial survey to find openings suitable for disabled men and when it was completed employers would he asked to reserve such positions for them. Suitable positions in various State Services would also he reserved for them. Mr. Eraser also spoke of the establishment of training centres and their work and mentioned, incidentally, that in future manufacture of artificial limbs would he carried out in the Wellington training centre and that a fitting room and repair workshops and possibly manufacturing facilities would he established in other main centres.