RETURNED SERVICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25306, 17 August 1943, Page 5

RETURNED SERVICES

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE The fortnightly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Dunedin Returned Services’ Association was held last night. The president (Mr C. R. McLean) occupied the chair, and there were also present Messrs D. Forsyth, H. P. Jefcoate, W. H. Thomson, J. B. Stewart, W. K. Cameron, C. G. Hedge, S. G. Scoular, W. E. Earnshaw, W. F. McQuin, A. Duncan, and A. McHutchon. Rehabilitation Proposals With the object of providing homes for ex-servicemen from country districts who, through their war disabilities, were unable to follow an active life on the land and to relieve the man-power shortage in the fruit-growing districts of Central Otago, the association’s Rehabilitation Committee recommended that information should be obtained from the medical profession regarding the suitability of the districts for this aspect of rehabilitation. It was recommended that the local branches of the association should confer with local rehabilitation committees with a view to the formulation of some practical scheme.—The committee’s recommendations were adopted. It was decided to ask the Dominion Executive Committee to urge upon the Rehabilitation Board the necessity for the immediate institution of the scheme of farm training for grade II and 111 men which had been set out in the Rehabilitation Board’s land policy. Differentiation in Leave

The secretary reported that the differentiation in the amount of leave granted to men on furlough from overseas (three months) and to sick and wounded men (28 days on final discharge) had been raised on several occasions.—Regarding the leave granted to sick and wounded men, the Rehabilitation Committee 'explained that this was discharge leave granted after a soldier had completed his medical treatment. Prisoner-of-war Clothing

It was decided to request the Dominion headquarters to ask the Government to clarify the position relating to the issue of adequate clothing to prisoners of war and to state how far it was necessary for the next-of-kin to send shirts, shorts, boots, etc.—ln a report, which was adopted by the meeting, the General Committee stated that it was of opinion that the Government was responsible for the care of these men and for the issuing of all army clothing. The secretary (Mr O. L. Ferens) reported that the quartermaster-general at army headquarters had advised that he understood that returned servicemen were to receive a discount of 15 per cent, in the case of direct sales of army vehicles. The Finance Committee reported that the building fund now stood at £579 10s 7d.