DISABLED BY THE WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1933, Page 8

DISABLED BY THE WAR

ASSISTANCE FOR EX-SOLDIERS. FORMATION OF A LEAGUE. A conference convened by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association opened at Wellington recently to 'discuss schemes for employing disabled soldiers and for utilising the proceeds of the art union, “Another Black Cat,” in accordance with the stated objects in the application for that art union. They are to further the recommendations of the Ex-Soldiers’ Rehabilitation Commission, appointed in 1930, and to endeavour to assist the operation of the Disabled Soldiers’ Civil Re-estabhsh-ment Act toward the creation and control of employment for disabled soldiers. Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., who was chairman of the Ex-Soldiers’ Rehabilitation Commission, presided, and those present included: Mr. J. H. Boyes, Commissioner of Pensions; Sir George Richardson, representing the Auckland Advisory Committee under the Discharged / Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment Act; Colonel G. Mitchell, representing the Wellington Committee; Mr. W.. E. Leadley, representing the Christchurch Committee; Mr. E. J. Anderson, representing the Dunedin Committee; and Mr. S. J. Harrison, representing the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. It was decided that there be appointed an incorporated body to be called . . “The Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League,” to consist of a Dominion headquarters and branches. The Dominion headquarters will consist of no Sewer than five and no more than se/en members, one of whom shall be. chairman, representative of the Government, the Canteen Fund, the various war and patriotic funds, Dominion industries and commerce organised labour, and the association. This headquarters of the league will control and administer all money allotted to it for the purpose of creating suitable .employment for disabled soldiers who have served in the Great War or L the Boer War, and who, through war disabilities, have found it difficult to obtain employment. . The organisation avails itself,’ for administration, of the existing committees under the Disabled Soldiers’, Civil Reestablishment Act, calling them branches of the Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League, and in so doiiig gives power to create and control schemes of employment suitable for disabled men which previously ' could’ not be done under the Act mentioned,. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association will call fof nominations ■from alb the bodies to be represented on the Dominion, headquarters and make the necessary appointments. '.. The association has been requested to make money available, to the four committees to finance existing schemes pending the incorporation of the league.