Progress Of Rehabilitation Scheme

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1948, Page 3

Progress Of Rehabilitation Scheme

Dealing with rehabilitation in hi.s Budget sp.eech in the Ilouse of Representatives last evening, Rt. Iion. Waltei' Nash stated that in conformity with the Government 's policv there has been continued activity in all rehabilitation schemes over the past financial year. Demobilisations during the year numbered 19,755, bringing the total to 202,265 as at March 31, 1948. Under the Fann Training and Bettlement Scheme, organised and controlled by the Rehabilitation Board, a large iiuinber of young and well qualilied m«n have already been established on the land. Primarily this has been a rehabilitatidn task, but it has a distinct .value in the national economy in increasing primary production. Many thousands of mcn have been given trade and professional training under the Trade Training and Educational Schemes which have provided individual occupational rehabilitation. ' A large number of men have been addeil to the skilled, professional, and trade forces of the country. Educational assistance has been given in 16.490 new cases and 14,474 renewals, and over 13,000 men have been assisted by training in trades. In addition to the Trade and Farm Training Schemes carried out by Ihe board for ex-servicetnen, the Disablod Servicemen's Reestablishment League acting as the Board 's agent provijdes traiiling at Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill in a number of trades suitable to Ihe disabled. The farm at .Milson, Palmerston North, is doing valuabio work in training suitable disabled men .in rural aetivities. The Blindcd Serviceigen 's Trust Board - has continued its work as the "agent for the Rehabilitation Board in, the training and care of those exservicemen of the 1939-45 war who lost their sight . or sulfered serious visual . disablement. ' The total rehabilitation expenditure and loan authorisations for 1947-4S amounted to £19,087,000, making the total to March 31 1948, £65,318,000, which has -been utilised, in: — : ". £ Loans for housing, farm settlement, purchase of businesses, furniture, and .tools of trade 49,301,009 Purchase of hinds for settlement, development and other expenses . . . . 8,427,000 Trade training .. ... .. .*. 3,702,000 Miscpllaneous 3,828,000 £65,318,000 Although the cost of State houses which have been alloeated to i exservicemen is not included in the figures above, the provision of these houses has been a major contribution in rehabilitation. So far over. 8000 State rental houses have been alloeated to exservicemen. In all, with the loans which have been granted to buv and to build, over £S,000 men have been provided with permanent housing.