CHANCE FOR C.D. FARM.

Shannon News, 13 November 1928, Page 1

CHANCE FOR C.D. FARM.

PROPOSAL FOR SOLDIERS' HOME.

TO PROVIDE OCCUPATION FOR PARTIALLY DISABLED.

PRIME MINISTER'S INTEREST IN HANDICAPPED MEN;

A suggestion with much to commend it was made at the Levin returned soldiers' re-union on Saturday night, namelvl that the CD. Farm site should be used for the establishment of a working colony for partially disabled soldiers, of whom there are a large number fitted for light occupations, who are not able to secure industrial employment. ,- The matter came up as the result of a statement by the general secretary of the R.S.A., Mr S. J. Harrison, as

to the outcome of the Prime Minister's interest on behalf of disabled Diggers. He stated that Mr Coates, in his speech at Caxterton, had said that any return-

ed soldier who Avas in difficulties, should get in touch with him. In saying this, the Prime Minister had asked for trouble, and he got it. He rang Mr Harrison up and asked him what to do with the applications that were

pouring in on him; he had a list of 85

men. Mr Harrison called on him and showed him a list of 300 from Auckland alone. The speaker also showed him the Christehurch and Dunedin lists, and Mr Coates recognised that the position had not been over-stated when the association had repeatedly asked for assistance. Mr Coates said, "I want the Association to go into this and see if they can produce some

scheme for utilising the remaining ability of these chaps who are not on pensions," adding that he thought that the whole country would stand behind him and that they would be able to do something. "Many of these fellows," Mi- Harrison continued, "are physically unfit to do the work they are in, or else they are out of work. If we could find employment for them, it would settle 90 per cent, of the trouble among returned soldiers to-day. Last year the Government pliid out £90,000 for economic pensions alone,, at 30s a week, 'awl it is not getting one tap in return for that. I say that the men would rather work than get the pension. Since it was brought in, in 1923, the average amount spent on it has been £BO,OOO a year. If we can put up a scheme that can enable us to utilise the remaining ability of those men, we shall have done a job not only for our comrades, but for the countrv."

Mr Harrison spoke of the work at Preston Hall, in the Old Country, where a hostel had been taken over by the Legion, with the assistance of the Government, for tubercular ex-service men, and where a village had been built up having iridiistries, such a ! s printing and bookbinding, at which the mm could work. (These men were able not only to obtain medical treatment, but to carry on and earn their living. The suggestion in New, Zealand now wias tha.t> the Association should endeavour to set up a colony on similar lines, securing 60 or 80 acres close to a. market. A voice: Weraroa Farm.

Continuing, Mr Harrison said that if a suitable place could be got, the Government would be asked to supply materials which the meu. would make up into blotting pads, racks, paper-bas-kets, ordinary baskets, filing cabinets, toys, and so on. Most of the men could do' such work with little trouble. Together with these industries there could be Angora rabbit-farming, poul-try-keeping, and tobacco-growing. If in"3o years' time the returned soldiers had ceased to be. the properly could be handed over to the Government for the use of other partially disabled people. The foregoing scheme was what the Association was trying to work out at headquarters, at presentMr Harrison also stated that a commission was to be .set up to consider exactly the sort of veterans' home that was necessary, because it was found (hat the present Home at Auckland did not meet the case of the returned men from the late War. There were returned .soldiers who were prematurely aged, and the Commission was to find those cases and inquire into them. If the suggested colony could be established, it would solve the difficulty. It would be able to take men of all sorts who could not follow ordinary industrial occupations. A voice: And it will solve the problem of the State Farm. Dr. Hunter stated that in 1919 he attended the first-congress of the British Medical Association after Ihe War, when a remit was brought down from one of the associations asking the congress to lend what aesistance it could to-the committee that was trying to establish Preston Hall. He noticed, the other day, that it had done so well that three or four per cent, of the patients had practically recovered, and that the form of treatment was effective, particularly in tubercular cases. Further capital was necessary to carry on the work and find good raw material for making up. Kef erring to returned soldiers with, tuberculosis, Dr. Hunter stated that i it had been found that through slack- |

noss in medical examinations men so affected had been admitted to the army and had been discharged as fit, and

they must be a charge on the Pensions Board. Colonel Hall, president of the Wellington K.S.A., stated that, about two •months ago, he had a telephone message from the Prime Minister to go up.and have a talk with,him. "They had a long discussion on the breakingdown of ..the. soldier that was taking place at present. The Prime Minister,was a big-hearted fellow and was v§ry much concerned about the returned men breaking down as rapidly as they were' doing. It was Mr Coates's intention to do all in his power to give them a home where they would end their days ia peace and comfort;.