REHABILITATION OF SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 4

REHABILITATION OF SOLDIERS

—» MAJOR SKINNER AS MINISTER MR MACFARLANE’S SUGGESTION From Our Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, June 9. His belief that Major the HoB. C. F. Skinner should be appointed Minister of Rehabilitation was expressed by Mr R. M, Macfarlane (Government, Christchurch South), in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives tins evening. Mr Macfarlane, who recently returned from service in the Middle East, was making his first speech in the House for two years and four months. In his reference to the important place rehabilitation took in the Government’s plans, Mr Macfarlane mentioned the intention to appoint a full time Minister of Rehabilitation. When Opposition members interjected to ask who the Minister would be, Mr Macfarlane said it seemed to him that it should be a man with considerable military service, and service in this war. From his own point of view he thought the Minister should be the latest appointment to the Cabinet—Major Skinner. The suggestion that Lieutenant-Gen-eral Sir Bernard Freyberg would make a good governor-general was offered by Mr Macfarlane, who said that at times there had been talk of the appointment of a New Zealander as Gov-, ernor-General. He referred to the feats of the New Zealand Division and its commander in the Middle East, and said it would be a tribute to them and General Freyberg if he were the first New Zealander, to be appointed Gov-ernor-General. He was eminently suited for the honour. Mr Macfarlane said that members of the farming community, because of their outdoor life, made fine soldiers, and had won a high reputation in the New Zealand Division. Farmers were doing great work in New Zealand, too. He would be the last to belittle New Zealand farmers: but there was no doubt that many of them had been politically hostile to the Labour Party. If the Farmers’ Union felt it should affiliate with the National Party, then the sooner it did it the better. It would clear the political air a good deal. Many farmers, particularly small ones, supported the Government; but others, perhaps because of wealth and position, opposed the Labour Party. War Pensions In removing the onus of. proving attributability from applicants for war pensions, the Government was doing only what was just, he said. The change, however, would add,■ considerably to the pensions bill. The Government had now assumed/ responsibility for men passed fit and accepted for the Army. He had been surprised, as other members had been surprised, that some men had been passed fit. They had gone overseas: but after a short time had had to return to New Zealand. Many who had not before been entitled to pensions would get them under the Government’s proposals. Discussing manpower, he said that about the time he joined the forces meetings were being held to complain that the Government gave them no scope for their war activities. On his return he found the Government being criticised for doing too much. He thought the war would be prolonged, and the burden would necessarily be heavy. Careful consideration should be given, and was being given by the Government to manpower problems. While New Zealand formations were overseas a constant stream of reinforcements was necessary, or else too big a burden would be placed on the men of the forces.