NO CHANGE IN POLICY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6284, 23 September 1946, Page 6

NO CHANGE IN POLICY

RECIPROCAL REHABILTATION BENEFITS DEPENDENT ON ATTITUDE OF IMMIGRATION “This matter has been discussed quite often by the interested parties,” said the Minister of Rehabilitation, the Hon. C. F. Skinner, when the question of reciprocal rehabilitation benefits among Empire countries was brought up for discussion at the last meeting of the Rehabilitation Board. “We shall probably get a good many enquiries within the next year or two and we shall no doubt have to tie the matter up not only with Empire countries but with the United States as well. The problem; is there is such a disparity in the various rehabilitation schemes, New Zealand’s being in many cases so far ahead.” The Minister added that as he saw it the reciprocal scheme would simply entail administering say, the United Kingdom benefits to United Kingdom ex-servicemen who had become domiciled in the Dominion and a reimbursement being- made in this country by the United Kingdom Government of the amount involved. The same system would work inversely, in the case of a New Zealand ex-serviceman living in England. The Board had agreed on that principle long ago. Countries Approached The Board had before it replies from the United Kingdom, Australian and Canadian Governments on the question of reciprocal rehabilitation for Empire ex-servicemen. These replies -were in answer* to enquiries made by the Board earlierin the year. There was no reply from, the Government of South Africa. An analysis of the replies indicated that the attitude of each Government was influenced or likely to be influenced by their policy as regards immigration, and it was pointed out to the Board that the same was equally true of New Zealand. Both the United Kingdom and Australia appeared to, be unfavourable to a scheme that, would entice their younger men to settle elsewhere, while Canada, although accepting the views of the Board, set limiting factors on the assistance she wsas willing to give ex-servicemen domiciled outside that Dominion. Board’s ’ Decision Having reviewed the matter in the light of these replies and on the present, situation in New Zealand, the Board decided to adhere to its previous decision made in May, 1945. This was: “That .a person on arriving in a new country where he is not a serviceman should be eligible for- the same or nearly as practicable equivalent assistance as that to which he w!as entitled in the country in which he was ia serviceman, and that such assistance should be provided at the expense of the Government of the latter country.” It was also agreed that the above decision should be reviewed in the light; of any decision by the Government on New' Zealand’s future immigration policy.