GRADE III RETURNED MEN

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 151, 4 December 1942, Page 4

GRADE 111 RETURNED MEN

Decision Of War Cabinet REMAIN in THE FORCES or REHABILITATION War Cabinet has decided that returned servicemen in the Grade 111 medical category shall be permitted either-to remain in the forces or to be discharged and receive at once , the benefits of the Government’s rehabilitation provision- 1 . This decision, the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, announced on Saturday, would be brought into immediate operation. " The Prime Minister, referred to a statement issued by the N.Z.R.S.A. ah-' nouncing that the Dominion executive pf that body, at a recent meeting, had unanimously ' decided to urge the Government“ That till they are dis-, charged, all servicemen should be either on (a) full military pay and allowances according to rank, or (b) on war pension, or (c) found satisfactory employment by the State Placement; Service, or (d) receive rehabilitation unemployment allowance; and that in no case should they be placed on social security till 'all these steps have been exhausted.” "The question raised by . the Returned Services Association of the retention in

the forces of servicemen ,who return from overseas or their discharge with full benefits of pension or rehabilitation provisions,” said the Prime Minister, “has already received the attention of War Cabinet on - representations ' from Mr.' Moohan,/ chairman of the - Rehabilitation Board. As a result of consultations between the Army, the Rehabilitation Board, and : the National Service Department, arranged by the ; Minister of Defence, l recommendations • were . made to, and- adopted by War Cabinet, which provided for an .important: alteration in the position‘of those members of the : armed forces who have returned from service overseas and who, while being medically unfit,‘-are - not-permanently ; unfit for further military service. ;

Existing Regulations. “Under, the • existing regulations, only those men who; are • permanently ~unfit for ■ any form of further, military service can'.be discharged, and other men are retained on full pay and- allowances for a period and, when their pension and any other rights to which they are entitled have been adjusted, they are placed on leave without pay. .The representations made to the Government by the Rehabilitation Board were to - the-effect that this procedure was not satisfactory 'in . the case .'of •’-.Grade 111 personnel 1 from : 'over;; seas ' who are 1 unlikely to improve in health so as to‘reach a higher medical grading, as' their rehabilitation was likely to .be prejudiced by their indefinite position.

.•‘After giving careful-consideration to the recommendations 7 mentioned above, War <Cabinet; decided that men in the Grade 111' medical category who,are.unlikely to reach a higher grading and who .prefer to stay in the Army performing duty suitable to their physical condition should so remain, and that other men in this class who so elect be discharged. This enables the latter to be fully restored to their' civilian status and , to. receive 'at once the benefits of the Government's re-’ habilitation provisions. This decision will be brought'into immediate operation, the necessary alteration, to the statutory reflations being in course of completion. Employment Question. “The question' of -whether, if suitable employment or other rehabilitation provision is not immediately available —a . contingency which I am informed has not yet arisen to any extent, owing to the urgent need for workers in industry 'generally —the assistance : given to the returned men should be by means of the ordinary social security unemployment benefits, or through rehabilitation unemployment payments, ran be considered by the Rehabilitation 'Baa rd.' The Government will consider sympathetically any recommendation of the board on the question. In any case it does not appear to be a matter of major importance. .“The main question and concern on which the Governments the Rehabilitation Board, and the Returned Services Association. and indeed the whole people of New Zealand, are agreed upon, is to provide adequately, fairly, and indeed generously for the men who have risked their lives for their country and for us all. “The Government .and War Cabinet," Mr. Fraser concluded, “welcome al all times suggestions for improvement in the provisions for returned men from the N.Z.R.S.A., and are grateful for the helpful co-operation in the whole war effort invariably extended by that organization and its officers and national executive.”