Nofr Affected By War Gratuities

Northern Advocate, 25 June 1946, Page 6

Nofr Affected By War Gratuities

(Special.) WELLINGTON. This Day

An assurance that the possession of a war gratuity account by an exterviceman loan applicant in no way affected the decisions of the Rehabilitation Board or its executive subcommittee was given by board jnembers at the quarterly meeting of the National Rehabilitation Council.

The question was raised by Mr T. G. Taylor (representative of the New Zealand RSA». who said there was a feeling among ex-servicemen that in consideration of financial assistance for businesses, housing, etc., decisions were either consciously or unconsciously influenced by the existence of a war gratuity account. REFIIES FOR BOARD

Replying for the board, Mr B. Barrington said the question of gratuities did not affect decisions in the slightest degree.

The only exceptions would be if a serviceman applied for some assistance which was outside the normal financial assistance or where a straight-out grant was necessary. In such cases, the board was entitled to take the gratuity into account..

Mr E. L. Cullen. M.P.. another board member, considered the impression referred to by Mr Tay.lor might have been the result of insufficient publicity on the matter.

In no case, he added, had any board member asked the amount of a serviceman’s gratuity or had asked that amount to be taken into consideration when an application for a loan was before the board. NOT INFLUENCED

Mr H. G. Shepherd, Under-Secret-ary of the Native Department and chairman of the Maori Rehabilitation Loans Committee, said that in no case was that committee’s decision influenced by any gratuities which might be received, although numbers oi Maoris had offered to apply their gratuities to the repayment of loans. Each case was considered on its merits. The Rehabilitation Loans Committee did like to know all the assets an ex-serviceman applicant, possessed, and this naturally included gratuities, commented Mr C. L. Batten.