WIDENING THE BENEFITS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 17 October 1941, Page 6

WIDENING THE BENEFITS

SUBSTANCE OF AMENDMENTS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. A widening of the benefits available under the Rehabilitation Bill was made as a result of amendments introduced by Governor-General’s message in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon before the second reading debate on the message was resumed. It was explained by the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) that these amendments were the result of discussions he had had with representatives of the Returned Soldiers’ Association after the Bill had been brought down. The principal amendment makes provision to include among those entitled to the benefits of the measure, the child of a serviceman whose death was attributable directly or indirectly to his war service, or who died while undergoing a course of naval, military or Air Force training in New Zealand, or the child of a discharged serviceman who is totally incapacitated for work as a direct or indirect result of his service. Under any of these circumstances, iv the child’s mother is deceased, he or she is to be entitled to the same assistance, financial or otherwise, as if the child were a d’ charged serviceman. The other two amendments were of a minor nature. One increased the quorum of the Rehabilitation Board set up under the Bill from two to three, and the other requires that the chairman of the Board shall report to the National Rehabilitation Council on the work of the Board. Mr Nash explained that this was being done to meet the suggestion ol the Returned Soldiers’ Association ; that there should be closer contact be- j tween the Board and the Council.