AID FOR SERVICEMEN SCOPE OF REHABILITATION COMMITTEE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 301, 21 December 1945, Page 7

AID FOR SERVICEMEN

SCOPE OF REHABILITATION COMMITTEE

WANGANUI APPLICATIONS

The number of applications from ex-servicemen lor rehabilitation assistance was increasing each month, said the chairman of the Wanganui Rehabilitation Committee, Mr. J. B. F. Colterill. M.P., giving details yesterday of cases dealt with by his committee during the past two months. In that period, Mr. Cotterill added, the committee considered 36 tons for houses. 10 business loans, 75 furniture loans, 57 applications for trade training and one miscellaneous loan. In addition, the committee dealt with applications for the release of used Army vehicles, import licences, supplies of rationed and controlled goods, while 54 applicants for farm settlement were graded and 53 applications for State rental houses were received. Quoting figures on the Wanganui district register, the rehabilitation officer, Mr. A. R. Lowe, said the following loans had been granted up to November 30, 1945:—92 housing loans amounting to £82,000 ; 35 farming loans. £120,000 ; 305 furniture loans, £30,000; 68 business loans, £40,000 19 tools of trade loans, £7OO ; 3 miscellaneous loans, £500; total, £273,200. These figures, however, did not represent the total number of applications handled, as it took approximately six weeks for loans other than furniture and tools of trade to be approved from Wellington. Many applications were still under consideration by the district executive. STATE RENTAL HOL’SES.

Up to November 30 last. 130 State rental houses had been allocated to ex-servicemen, or war widows and 268 applications remain unsatisfied. Total district figures are: Wanganui, 199; Marton, 35; Taihr.pe, 17; Bulls, 6; Ohingaiti, 4; Raetihi, 2; Wangaehu, 1; Waverley, 2; Hunterville, 2. “Housing is still our greatest problem,’’ said Mr. Cotterill," and our commitees are having an unenviable iob in determining which cases are the most urgent. Very few houses are being made available for allocation and it is impossible to satisfy even the urgent applications, but most applications appreciate the ocmmittee's difficulty and cases of real complaint and criticism are fortunately rare. I would like to emphasise here that all allocations to ex-service-men are made by rehabiitation committees and all applications are fully considered before tenancies are offered. “The latest amendment to the Fair Rents Act which concerned accommodation for ex-servicemen has not proved very successful,” added Mr. Cotterill. “Only three applicants, so far, have obtained rooms or a portion of a house in Wanganui through this new legislation.” FARM APPLICANTS. At the end of November, 126 applicants graded “A” were awaiting settlement, in various types of farming, and 41 “B” and “C” graded men were training on subsidy with private farmers. Thirty men had acquired their own farms with rehabilitation assistance and seven or eight were at present waiting decisons on their loan applications. “Others already own land and have obtained loans for plant and equipment or stock. Othermen have applications in lor land ballots which will shortly be drawn. The total number of farm applications graded to date is 228, and 19 of these have transferred to other districts, while five are at present undergoing training at agricultural colleges or on Government farms, while 13 applications are still under consideration," said Mr. Cotterill.

“The No. 15 Carpentry Training Centre at Wanganui now has 26 men under training and a further 13 will commerite in the third class during April, 1946. The first class is busy constructing two State houses on Durie Hill, and the second class is engaged on the workshop course in the school in Taupo Quay. “Up to November. 1945, 59 applications for “B” class training have been approved and these men are learning 21 different trades on subsidy with private employers. The trades include carpentry, cabinet-making, drycleaning, watchmaking, saddlery, baking, electrical engineering, upholstering painting and paperhanging, glass bevelling, mechanical engineering, moulding and casting, etc., and reports received by the committee indicate that the training is proceeding satisfactorily. Progress reports on each trainee are obtained every three months and these are tabled at committee meetings, so that members can be assured that adequate training is being provided and suitable progress is being maintaned. “To date, nine “C” class engagements have been approved and these trainees are completing their training in seven different trades on subsidy with their pre-service employers.