REHABILITATION

Evening Star, Issue 23679, 12 September 1940, Page 13

REHABILITATION

NEEDS OF RETURNED MEN VIEWS OF QUEEK CARNIVAL EXECUTIVE HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED An explanation of what was meant by rehabilitation was given by Mr Stuart Cameron (vice-president of the Queen Carnival Executive) during the course of the presentation of the Regal Introductory Revue in His Majesty’s Theatre last night, and the necessity for the raising of £IOO,OOO to rehabilitate Otago’s fighting men after the war was stressed in ins remarks. The queen carnival, said the speaker, was not a subject on which he intended to enlarge. It was simply a fascinating means to an end. It reached young and old, providing interest, pleasure, and pageantry; it not only received, but it gave. Nevertheless, it was just a means to an end—in this case the raising of £IOO,OOO for the rehabilitation of Otago’s sons and daughters on their return from war service.

“We know, and you know,” Mr Cameron declared, “ that memories arc short, and that when peace is declared the needs of the returned men will be forgotten. Funds must be raised now and because the need is great we know you will respond. “ Everyone in this life at some time or another has a cross to bear. Many of our young men who are away will bear that cross before their time, and if we can do anything to lighten their burden by providing adequate funds to assist them in their return to civil life, we should consider it more than a duty—it is a privilege. That is the appeal the Queen Carnival makes and it cannot be ignored.” THE MEANING OF THE TERM. Many people might not understand the purpose of the rehabilitation fund or the need for the fund, Mr Cameron said. Rehabilitation simply meant assisting sick and disabled soldiers, sailors, airmen, and nurses to settle down to civilian life on their return from active service, and helping them or their dependents over any difficult periods which might occur in later life as a result of that service. “ We know from experience that the need for largo funds will arise, and we know that when the need is Shown Otago will rise to the occasion—her generosity is acknowledged,” he continued. “We know also that whatever we do in the way of raising funds is little compared with what our young men are doing for us. Do they count the cost? They are not hesitating, yet they know the odds are heavily against them. We can do our share and see that they are provided for on _ their return. Every one of us would like to see each of our lads on his return get a pension for life—wounded _ or unwounded—but we know that is not possible or practical. What is possible is that a rehabilitation fund shall be provided sufficient and adequate for their needs.” NEEDS OF RETURNED MEN. What were those needs? he asked. They must reabsorb into civilian life those whose careers had been interrupted or jeopardised by war service. Many men were leaving New Zealand in their teens with their education interrupted, apprenticeships incomplete, and before they had found their niche in life. It would be tragically easy to allow these men to fall into uneconomic or blind-alley work with their value to themselves and to the community lost. Whatever facilities might be made to meet these cases on a Dominion-wide basis, the fact remained . that there would be a need for local funds to tide these men over the difficult period, which, experience had shown, would arise. It had been a bitter lesson that many soldiers broke down in health from complaints which were very difficult to attribute to war service. Until they proved their claims and until their cases were recognised by the Pensions Board many months might elapse. The rehabilitation fund could tide them over in/the meantime and might even subsidise their income until they were on their feet again. In this connection quick action and decision was the essential feature of rehabilitation. HOW THE FUNDS WORK. After some years had passed, it was difficult to prove that a breakdown in health was due to war service, the speaker continued. There was the case of one returned man who went to the Patriotic Association a year or two ago. He was suffering from chronic asthma and was in a bad way. The Government would not recognise his claim for a pension, as he could not prove his condition was attributable to war service. The Patriotic Association helped him and his family and finally managed to get him into a sanatorium. A little later he died. The association pressed for a post mortem examination. It was found that one lung was black and completely useless as a result of mustard gas poisoning. The other lung was also damaged. The Government then recognised its responsibility, and paid his widow back pension and cared for her and her family. Still this only showed the difficulty of proving, some years after the war, that bad health was the result of war service. This was only one case of many, but it was fortunate for that woman and her family that there were rehabilitation funds available to tide them over their difficult period of waiting. Twenty-two years after the Great War 30 to 50 claims a week were still being handled by the Patriotic Association in Otago alone, Mr Cameron said, and these claims would continue until the Last Post for the last soldier was sounded. The funds of the Patriotic Association set up at the last war were fast being depleted, and principal to the extent of a few thousand pounds was being used each year.