SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1930, Page 9

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

QUESTION OF REHABILITATION. HOPEFUL WORDS FROM MINISTER By Telegraph.—Press Association. .Wellington, Last Night. The annual conference of the South African Veterans was opened to-day fly the Minister of Defence (Hon. J. G. Gobbe). In reference to the. question of rehabilitation the Minister said -in his opinion tlie report of the commission was a most valuable one. The association’s report stated that nothing had been done this session. He did not wish to be too definite, but there might be sonic grounds for modification of that statement before long. With regard to a remit urging that South African pensions should be granted before the' age of 65 if disability occurred before that age, the Miuistei said he had gone into that mattei, and under existing conditions it would be hardly possible. Just at present it would mean the addition of eight men to the pensions scheme and an advance in the cost of £3599, and more later on. There was the danger that the alteration of the pension, age from 65 to 69 would form an attractive election cry and its effects would go further. The chairman (Captain J. J. Clark) thanked the Minister, who, he said, had given them the hope that something°niiglit be done along the lines of re habilitation, but it was a fact that so far the South African Veterans were not dealt with on the same rehabilitation lines as those of the Great War. The association valued the help given by the Government.