DISABLED MEN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24900, 13 June 1946, Page 3

DISABLED MEN

CONTINUED ASSISTANCE PROMISED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 12. Continued Government assistance in any practical way was promised by the Minister of Rehabilitation (the Hon. C. F. Skinner) to the Dominion conference of the Disabled Servicemen’s Reestablishment League which opened in Wellihgton to-day. The president (Mr I. J. Goldsmith), in welcoming the Minister, said that the Government’s rehabilitation measures were an example to the world. Mr Skinner said that the Cabinet had never refused him financial assistance for rehabilitation. “I do not think there is any limit to which the Government will not go to get our disabled servicemen back into worthwhile jobs,” He continued. “If there is a limit I have not heard of it. There has been no change in Government policy, nor is there likely to be.” Referring to the many disabled and also blinded men 'now performing highly specialised technical work in industry, Mr Skinner visualised the time when workshops would not be utilised entirely by disabled servicemen, but also by men, who had suffered injuries in A new league centre would be established near Napier soon with workshops and instruction in horticulture.

Commenting on the production of

artificial limbs, he said there had been considerable discontent in the Dominion because amputees had had to ’ ait. but experts had been sent abroad for instruction, and the position was now entirely changed, andy before long he hoped that artificial' limbs would be provided for all who required them. This facility would also in time be available to men who lost limbs in industry.