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which was first inaugurated in June, 1941. The Rehabilitation Board was subsequently established in February, 1942, and the Corporation then became the agent of that Board for the purpose of dealing with loan applications under the Rehabilitation Act, 1941. A Rehabilitation Loans Committee was established, with the Chairman of the Corporation as Chairman, and having representatives thereon of the Rehabilitation Board and of the State Advances Corporation and of other Departments concerned with rehabilitation, and this Loans Committee has been responsible for the examination of all applications and the consideration of loans within the policy as laid down by the Rehabilitation Board. For the purpose of accelerating the handling of applications subsidiary Loans Committees have been established wherever practicable, and these District Executive Committees are now dealing with the large majority of local applications, referring to the Central Committee only such cases that have unusual circumstances —for example, where the amount applied for is in excess of the normal limits approved by the Board, or where, in the opinion of the District Executive, the application is one which should not be approved. Field-work and Staff The normal business of the Corporation is still on the restricted scale adopted early in the war period, but the consideration of rehabilitation applications and the administration of loans granted under the Rehabilitation Act has thrown an extremely heavy burden on the staff of the Corporation, particularly in relation to the field staff. It can in fact be said that the magnitude of this task does not seem to be generally realized, nor is it always appreciated that the efforts of the Corporation in this field are directed primarily to ensuring the effective settlement of the serviceman in a proposition which will result in his long-term re-establishment in civil life. Too often is it said that the first requirement of the Corporation is the security for loan-moneys, when in actual fact security for the serviceman and his successful establishment in the proposition of his choice and reasonable security for loan funds mean one and the same thing. This special work has necessitated the employment of temporary officers and reorganization of the existing staff pending the time when the Corporation's officers who were mobilized for active service returned to duty. As suitable men have become available on demobilization special courses of training have been arranged for them, and good progress is being shown in bringing the numbers and quality of our staff up to pre-war standards. In selecting new appointees preference has been given to ex-servicemen who are specially suited to deal with the borrowers, with whom many of them have been associated during their war service. Trainees have been given the opportunity of gaining experience while employed on well-established farms, and most of them in addition have been provided with a refresher course at one of the agricultural colleges. In this way their rehabilitation is being attained while preparing them to undertake their important duties with the Corporation. Rehabilitation Loans Authorized Since June, 1941, when the rehabilitation scheme was commenced, up to 31st March, 1946, loans have been granted as shown in the following table : Type of Loan. Number. Amount. Tools of trade .. .. .. .. 832 27,108 Furniture .. .. .. ..12,344 1,129,793 Business .. .. 2,935 1,516,722 Farms .. .. .. .. .. 1,851 6,697,773 Stock .. .. .. .. .. 180 139,040 Houses.. .. .. .. .. 7,895 8,900,514 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 138 22,256

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