B—6

In addition to the Trade and Farm Training Schemes carried out by the Board for ex-servicemen, the Disabled Servicemen's Ee-establishment League acting as the Board's agent provides training at Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill in a number of trades suitable to the disabled. The farm at Milson, Palmerston North, is doing valuable work in training suitable disabled men in rural activities. The Blinded Servicemen's Trust Board has continued its work as the agent for the Rehabilitation Board in the training and care of those ex-servicemen of the 1939-45 war who lost their sight or suffered serious visual disablement. The total rehabilitation expenditure and loan authorizations for 1947-48 amounted to £19,087,000, making the total to 31st March, 1948, £65,318,000, which has been utilized in:— £ Loans for housing, farm settlement, purchase of businesses, furniture, and tools of trade . . 49,361,000 Purchase of lands for settlement, development, and other expenses .. .. .. 8,427,000 Trade training .. .. .. .. 3,702,000 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 3,828,000 £65,318,000 Although the cost of State houses which have been allocated to ex-servicemen is not included in the figures above, the provision of these houses has been a major contribution in rehabilitation. So far over 8,000 State rental houses have been allocated to ex-service-men. In all, with the loans which have been granted to buy and to build, over 28,000 men have been provided with permanent housing. Certain classes of home-servicemen were earlier made eligible for housing-loan assistance, and recently similar classes have been made eligible for certain business-loan assistance. Further extensions of eligibility will be considered when the progress in settlement of servicemen already eligible warrants this being done. In considering what will be needed in rehabilitation it must be remembered that extensions of eligibility widen the field of applicants. There has been very substantial progress in rehabilitation, but there are still major tasks ahead in land settlement and housing for those who have not yet been placed on farms or provided with homes. Immigration In conditions of shortage of labour it is obviously wise to facilitate immigration and the Government is continuing with its plan of assistance to suitable immigrants. The estimated expenditure for 1948-49 is £740,000.

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