RECENT LEGISLATION

Opunake Times, 3 February 1948, Page 3

RECENT LEGISLATION

AFFECTING REHAB.

SOME CHANGES

During 1947 nine Acts of Parliament were passed affecting, clirectly or indirectly, the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen and women. These were: the Emergency Regulations Continuance Act, the "Fair Rents Amendment Act, the Maori Purposes Act, the Finance Act, the Land Laws Amendment Act, the Masterton Licensing Restoration Act, the Milk Amendment Act, the Rehabilitation Amendment Act and the Supply Regulations Act. An amendment affecting these ex-servicemen concerned _ was also made to the Motor Drivers' Regulations (1940). This amendment permits in certain circumstances a person who has suffered the loss of one eye to be a licensed driver of a public vehicle.

The continuance of preference to ex-servicemen as already provided for by the refutations concerned is the main' rehabilitation content of the Emergency Regulations Continuance Act. For instance, the continuance of the Industrial Efficiency Emergency Regulations of 1943 and of the Transport. Licensing Emergency Regulations of 1942 make still effectual the issue of temporary licences and the establishment of preference for ex-servicemen in the licensed industry field.

Occupational re-establishment, power of attorney, servicemen's wills, stamp duty exemptions, apprentices' suspensions, transport licences, concessions + or Voluntary Aids and provision of war service gratuities to servicemen and women, are other subject heads of wartime and post-war regulations afiectino- ex-service-men and endorsed by the above Act,

The Act revoked regulations affording debt-protection to members of the forces, protecting mortgagors in certain circumstance<j and validating certain types of war-time leases. All these in some measure affect exservicemen.

Under the Fair Rents Amendment Act (1947) the fact that a person vacated a house to become a serviceman is considered ground for recovery of possession. There are other minor amendments affecting ex-service-men tenants.

Although that part of the Act affecting unused houses was primarily meant to assist ex-ser-vicemen to obtain homes, there is no specific mention of ex-ser-vicemen as such in the wording.

Included in the Finance Act (1947) are two sections affecting servicemen. One provides that the new rates of pay for those who have taken up the Navy, Army, or Air Force as a career are not exempt from taxation, that is as from April 1, 1946. The second .deems certain serving personnel as permanently employed for superannuation purposes.

The.right to apply for revision of charges after not less than three years' occupation and not more than six was given under the Land Laws Amendment Act to ex-servicemen who have acquired by ballot a Crown leasehold of a farming property. Bv the Maori Purposes Act Q 947), the Board of Maori Affairs Was given the right to giant leases for certain Crown lands for terms exceeding 50 years. This is to enable Maori exservicemen settled on Crown blocks through the Maori rehabilitation Finance. Committee to be grouted leases similar to those granted ex-servicemen under the Small Farms Act, Ihe Masterton Licensing Restoral ion Act gives a limited preference to ex-servicemen in the granting of new licences and the transfer of other licences. It allows the Director of Rehabilitation or his representative to be heard by the Licensing Committee.

Provision for the protection of rehabilitation loans made to exservicemen milk roundsmen was made in the Milk Amendment Act.

Tender the Rehabilitation Amendment Act. the powers of the Rehabilitation Board to "•rant assistance were extended in Certain directions. The Board may now admit to its trade training centres discharged servicemen of the British Commonwealth Forces. If may also grant the widow of an ex-serviceman Avho has died from causes not directly attributable to war service, the same housing or furniture loan assistance as the serviceman would have been entitled to at the time of his death. This provision applies for five years as from the passing of the amendment. The Act also ex(Continued foot previous column)