OUT OF FORCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25030, 21 October 1944, Page 6

OUT OF FORCES

53,929 DEMOBILISED RETURNS TO SEPTEMBER 30 (S.R.) • WELLINGTON, Friday A total of 53,929 service men and women had been demobilised up to September 30, 1944, including 29,986 returned from overseas and 23,943 demobilised from home service, according to the latest monthly statement issued by the Rehabilitation Department. During September alone 1750 returned from overseas became rehabilitation subjects and 868 were demobilised from home service, making a total for the month of 2618. Of the total of 53,929 there were still 10,690 not yet discharged, returned to service, on leave, in hospital and recuperating, comprising; 7931 men and 172 women returned from overseas and 24!14 men and 153 women demobilised from home service.

A total of 28,489 men and women either placed themselves in employment or did not require rehabilitation assistance for other reasons. This total included 13,662 returned personnel and 14,501 demobilised from home service. It also included 204 who depend on private means and 122 who nave left New Zealand.

Those who placed themselves with their pre-service employers totalled 13.509, those self-placed with __ other private employers numbered 11,451, and 584 placed themselves in State employment without subsidy. A further 2619 returned to their own businesses or farms. . Those who are undergoing full-time training number 1200 returned and 290 home service personnel; placed by the department with pre-service employers, 552 returned and 424 home servicemen and women; placed without subsidy with other private employers, 3583 returned and 3704 home service personnel; placed without subsidy in State employment, 404 returned and 281 home service personnel. A further 1369 returned and 62-? home servicemen and women acquired their own businesses or farms, many with rehabilitation assistance. Thus a total of 12,430 received assistance under the above headings.

ATTITUDE OF R.S.A. REHABILITATION WORK CRITICISM OF SYSTEM A statement made recently by the Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr Skinner, in reply to a resolution passed by the New Zealand Returned Services' Association, has been considered by the Dominion executive committee of the association, which now points out that, while some of its suggestions are about to be put into operation, as stated by Mr Skinner, the Minister has not been given full charge of the Act, in spite of his assurance to the contrary. The association contends that after the Minister and the Rehabilitation Board have made decisions, the permission of other Ministers has still to be obtained before action can be taken, and such methods cause delays. "This equally applies to a separate vote for the work of rehabilitation," it states.

"We were assured that Government departments would be used a 6 agents of the board only," the executive committee further states. "We now find the agents have become principals through their appointment as members of the board, which should be reconstituted and consist of five or six fulltime members. Departmental" officials should not be members, but merely attend in an advisory capacity if requested." The opinion that the board should not only be able to grant loans, but also to determine their terms and conditions, is reiterated by the association, which adds: "This at present is done by one of the Government department agents. Decentralisation, which was promised by the Minister six months ago, is still promised "The information published from time to time by the department leads service personnel to believe that all benefits are immediately available," the association states. "This, of course, is not so, although we believe the Government is sincere in its desires. The men should be informed of the true position." BUTTER AND CHEESE

LOCAL PRICE ISSUE GOVERNMENT'S SILENCE (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Friday Further endeavours to obtain information on any adjustments in the price of butter and cheese sold locally were made by the Opposition when the Internal Marketing Division Estimates were under discussion in the House of Representatives today. Mr A. J. Murdoch (Opposition— Marsden) said the former Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, had stated on one occasion that profits from local butter sales would be credited to the Dairy Industry Account. If the sales of butter for last season and the present one were credited at the price equal to that being paid by Great Britain under the recent trade agreement the Dairy Industry Account would receive an additional £1,432,400 on the sale of approximately 122,000 tons of butter. Taking cheese sales into consideration on the same basis, they should yield to the Dairy Account another £122.000. Mr Murdoch then moved an amendment to the Estimates. A dirision was taken, and the vote passed without any further reply from the Government benches.

CHARGE OF MURDER DEATH OF INFANT GIRL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday Arrested today, Herbert Alfred Adams, aged 42, a storeman, appeared before Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., charged with the murder on October 17 of the female baby of Nita Constance Batt. He was remanded for a week. CONSERVING WHITEBAIT PRICE CONTROL SUGGESTED (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Friday A suggestion that the retail price control of whitebait should be instituted is to be made to the Government by the North Island Acclimatisation Societies' council, according to a resolution adopted at the council's annual meeting in Wellington today. Moving the resolution, Dr F. N. Harvey (Hawke's Bay) said whitebait "were rapidly disappearing. Thev were being sold at up to 8s per lb. Price control might assist in conservation. GAME-SHOOTERS' HOPES OPEN SEASON NEXT YEAR (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday "We look forward to peace next year and we hope the Minister will give us an open shooting season." said the president of the North Island Acclimatisation Societies' Council, Mr F. E. Melvenzie, when welcoming the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, at the annual meeting of the council in Wellington. The Minister said that whether or not there could be an open season depended on supplies of ammunition, but his department would do what it could to assist sportsmen. Views both for and against the removal of protection from the opossum were heard. It was decided to recommend that the present protection on opossums be retained, with a provision that they may be destroyed without a permit at any time in the borough of Wellington, in all orchards or nursery gardens, and in exotic forest plantations. It was also decided to urge that no action should be taken by the Department of Internal Affairs pending further discussion at a special meeting of the council, to be /held before February 28.