SIGNING OF BONDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26532, 6 August 1947, Page 4

SIGNING OF BONDS

REHABILITATION AID OBJECTIONS BY STUDENTS DISCUSSION WITH BOARD MEMBER The objections of students at the Otago University who are taking courses on rehabilitation bursaries to signing bonds requiring them to carry out certain conditions on graduation or forfeit the amount of their bond were discussed by University representatives and the Executive Committee of the Dunedin Returned Services’ Association with Mr C. B. Barrington, a member of the Rehabilitation Board, at a conference last night. The clauses in the bond to which the students objected were that the graduate should within three calendar months after completing his course, unless released in writing by the boa’rd, exercise an option to commence practice in his profession in New Zealand or accept employment in New Zealand or elsewhere at the discretion of the board in a capacity which the board considered suitable and reasonable. Views of R.S.A. Presenting the views of the medical students at the Otago University, Mr A. J. H. Jeavons said that they had been given no assurance that their Rehabilitation bursaries would be continued over any definite period. “ The Returned Services’ Association is utterly opposed to a bond of any nature,” Mr Jeavons continued. “It is contrary to the spirit of Rehabilitation. We feel that rehabilitation is paid for in advance and is the gift of the public of New Zealand to those who gave public service.” Mr Jeavons said the students realised that if they abandoned their courses they should be prepared to repay the money spent on them in that time. He asked why students were being presented with the bonds

late in their courses, and asked that an assurance should be given that no man would be induced to sign any sort of bond until the question was settled. He asked that any bonds to be signed in the future snould be of a standardised form, that the Returned Services’ Association should be consulted, and that other forms of bonds should be overhauled in the same way. Mr I. Hattrick-Smith, president of the Returned Services’ Club at Canterbury College, said the mining students with whom he was associated wanted the bond system dropped completely. They claimed that the ex-serviceman was being penalised by it. “None of us knew about the bond when we first obtained rehabilitation assistance,” he said. It was absolutely necessary for men taking up mining engineering tc proceed overseas on completion ol their studies to gain practical experience.

Mr W. Hursthouse, a medical student at the Otago University, said there was a .shortage of openings for medical graduates. He wished to know why a graduate could not be permitted to take a position overseas and remain outside New Zealand without forfeiting up to £IOOO under the terms of the bond. Mr D. L. Wood, a member of the Returned Services’ Association executive, said the bond was a legal document which could be acted upon. by a court. No verbal assurances given by the Rehabilitation Department would have any legal significance. Reply by Board Member “Every form of rehabilitation has some tag to it. What we try to do is limit the tags,” said Mr Barrington in his reply. “A large number of men are befig given opportunities they would not have had had they not gone on service. After 1941 medical students could have received State educational bursaries, but they would have been tied to the State.” Mr Barrington said that the spending of a large amount of money could not be justified in any phase of rehabilitation if graduates could throw up their profession as they pleased. “ The board goes further, and feels that if there is a demand for his services in New Zealand, they should be made available.” he continued. Provision was made in the bond that if a man was unable to carry on with his profession in New Zealand by nhysical or other reasons beyond his control, he would be released from his bond. Mr Barrington said. There was also provision for post-graduate work overseas. “I want to clear up any misunder- j standing that this bond is something i that has just been brought into opera- I tion,” Mr Bari’ington said. “The sign- | ing of bonds has been required for at least two years, in spite of the fact that some students may not have been advised of it. It is the desire of the Rehabilitation Board, which has wide i powers, to do its best for ex-service-men, but we are handling big sums of money. We cannot justify useless expenditure, and I think the students will agree that the board has been reasonable in meeting all their reauests.” Mr S. P. Cameron said he did not think that Mr Barrington’s replies were convincing to ex-servicemen, and Mr Hursthouse and Mr Hattrick-Smith said that they could assure Mr Barrington that the majority of medical and mining students would not sign the bohds in their present form. Mr Barrington said that he would place the points brought up by the committee before the Rehabilitation Board.