TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays WEDNESDAY, 3rd OCTOBER, 1945 CIVIL LIFE RESUMING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 71, Issue 6144, 3 October 1945, Page 4

TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays WEDNESDAY, 3rd OCTOBER, 1945 CIVIL LIFE RESUMING

UP to the end of August 56,137 exservice men and women had returned to New Zealand, and since that date several thousands more have been repatriated. Moreover, during the next sfew months there will be a steady flow o*- men and women back to civil life, and their successful rehabilitation is the immediate task of Government and people. Of the statistical position, the Director of Rehabilitation has said;

With an influx of 3928 for the month the number of ex-service-men and women recorded with the Rehabilitation Department as having been returned to New Zealand reached 56,137 at the end of August. ’•There were besides 31,041 who had befen discharged from home service (1153 during August), making a grand total of 87,178 who had either resumed or were resuming civil life. Those who had already taken up a civilian vocation or had immediate intentions of so doing numbered 67,234, of whom 20,906 had returned to pre-ser-vice employment, 19,568 had found new employment for themselves, and 15,249 had let the Department find a position for them. a.

A full quota of these ex-servicemen have returned, or are returning, to Te Awamutu district, and the need is imperative for the utmost to be done in opening the doors of opportunity for them. This, then, challenges the ingenuity and constructive capacity of all our citizens, for it is certainly not enough to leave to the institutions of the Governirfent the tasks that lie ahead. More, much more, than that is needed, and it is for every citizen to co-operate and give some form of practical performance to what is the uppermost desire of everyone; z?nd in the performance there are few indeed who cannot help at all. The starting point of the task is the promise of full employment—if necessary, the creation of new avenues into which energies can be diverted. The productive capacity of this district can be studied in relation to the consumer demand. It reposes largely in the question of land occupation and use, for it is certain that the whole economy of this locality bases upon the sources of what are embracingly regarded as farming. There is unquestionably much land in this neighbourhood that is not nearly in full production. This can be said of lands vested in various Government departments and of pri-vately-held areas, and it is opportune that a public meeting is now to point an accusing finger at departmental areas which are little more than in occupation. But private land-owners could also do some well-warranted searching. If, however, by closer settlement and more intensive method the area within the radius of existing roading amenities could be so occupied as to be made more productive the foundations for development in many other directions would be firmly based. From the present and increased production much new enterprise would follow. The processing of farm products could be made to offer considerable scope for employment; the manufacturing and supply services could be strengthened. Here again a new outlook can be encouraged. It is well known that from this locality much investment capital has gone into other channels, and it

could very well be suggested that local capital could assist co-operative enterprises in which the ex-service-men are engaged. The pig industry is perhaps a case in point—farmer production, ex-serviceman factory labour, and capital from them both could provide truly co-operative enterprise. Only by research and initiative can the possibilities be explored and developed, and we are surely not lacking in the qualities so necessary just now. It rests with the people more than with the Government to properly gauge the measure of opportunity, and it is clearly a duty not to pass over any opportunities that can be found. Have we the courage and the initiative ? Have we the resourcefulness and the ability ? Have we the recognition of* a responsibility that is clearly ours ? The answers to these questions will be found in how we collectively act during the next few weeks. The exservice men have fulfilled what they undertook to do when they were attested ;z it is now for the citizens to play their part and to play it fully. To hold in idleness, or only in partial production, lands that can be made productive; to regain empty lands on which houses should be erected; to deny capital investment in enterprises which can make our production complete or service the needs of production will be the denial of a responsibility that is plain beyond doubt. It will, indeed, be a shameful reproach. Individually the citizen is challenged and collectively he is tested. Will he succeed or will he fail ? Actions alone during the next few weeks can provide the answer.