The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1944. BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF REHABILITATION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 190, 10 May 1944, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1944. BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF REHABILITATION

Comment made by the spokesmen of various bodies, and the explanation given by the Acting-Prime Minister, regarding the constitution of the Organization of National Development will have served a useful purpose if they help to impress on both the Government and the community the need for two basic requirements—speed and simplicity. When compared with the problems that will confront the highly-industrialized Allied countries the rehabilitation of those now serving in the New Zealand forces may appear to be a relatively simple matter, but as the proportion of the manhood of the country called up for service or for essential work is high the task of readjusting the industrial and economic life of the country will be a major undertaking. In both the United States and Great Britain people well qualified to speak have said that the work of restoration may be more difficult than that of changing from a peacetime to a wartime basis. In other countries this matter is being carefully examined, and plans are being prepared. Recently one British organization issued a booklet on the subject, and it is worth noting that in this publication attention was specially directed to the fact that “events at the end of the last war proved conclusively that elaborate schemes are quite impracticable.” Recently the British Minister of . Labour introduced in the House of Commons a Reinstatement in Civil Employment Bill, and it is significant that Mr. Bevin- did not place emphasis on the machinery provided, but stressed a belief that it would be “the good spirit” and “the good understanding” that would do .much to. ensure success. It will have been noticed that the Acting-Prime Minister, in his reply to the statement issued by the Associated Chambers of Commerce, contented himself with outlining the machinery that was to be provided. Machinery will be necessary, but could never in itself be sufficient. Nor should it be of a purely bureaucratic nature. The point to which attention should be given was admirably made by Mr. Bevin during the debate on the measure mentioned. He said-; “I remember sitting in the gallery of the old House of Commons many years ago, and listening to a debate on industrial agreements and industrial legislation, and I shall never forget something which was said by Lord Robert Cecil. A certain legal gentleman had been criticizing industrial arrangements as illogical and" ill-defined, and a phrase that always stuck in my mind came from Lord Robert Cecil and it was: ‘That is why they work.’ That is so true.” The British Minister was placing the spirit in which the problems were approached before the machinery used, and that, aspect must not be overlooked here. There was also no little significance in the order adopted by Mr. Bevin when he approached the immense task of rehabilitation. He referred to “the great firea of British industry” in the first place, and then mentioned the State and local authorities. It would seem that in this Dominion the Government has reversed that order and has placed the State first and. foremost, with representatives of industry and other sections of the community to be co-opted later. As outlined at the present time State employees clearly, form the inner core of the proposed organization, although the fact is already quite clear that the State cannot provide for the reabsorption of all ex-servicemen and women into civil life. Then the British Minister claimed that he had, on the trade union side, “an opinion and a desire not only to reinstate and absorb but to make up the training of men in order to get them back into their jobs.” That is a most important aspect of the problem, and assuredly will afford scope both there and here for constructive work. The third essential mentioned by Mr. Bevin can certainly be claimed in New Zealand—‘a public opinion that is determined to see the right thing done.” . With these things in mind he set about designing" the most simple machinery,” and that is what is required in the Dominion. On the occasion of Lord Woolton’s appointment in Britain it was pointed out by The Times that the first condition of post-war reconstruction was the provision of work. The article added: s Social improvements and their attendant legislatives reforms, however desirable and on a settled peacetime view necessary, are absolutely dependent for any prospect of successful operation and effective benefit on the existence of profitable employment for the labour and resources of the country. The transition to a peacetime economy in industry and agriculture is therefore the bridge over ’ which the whole traffic of social progress must pass.

That is true as applied to this country. Reconstruction means first and foremost the generation of productive enterprise on a peacetime, basis —a task in which private enterprise and the established industries of the countries have an all-important part. It is essential that should co-operate with the Government in planning this, task, and that their co-operation should be more than merely advisory to a State bureau of departmental officers. Actually the position should be reversed. A strongly-chosen reconstruction board, consisting of Minister, should be given the advisory assistance of departmental specialists. . ■ -