REHABILITATION ACT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1943, Page 2

REHABILITATION ACT

GROUND PLAN DESIGNED BY R.S.A. A “BUILDING A DISAPPOINTMENT." MR B. J. JACOBS’S ADDRESS IN MASTERTON. “By drafting the' Rehabilitation Act 'the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association designed the ground plan. Wo are disappointed with the building,” observed the Dominion President of the N.Z.R.S.A., Mr B. J. Jacobs, of Palmerston North, when addressing returned men from all parts of the Wairarapa at a social gathering held in Masterton last night by the Wairarapa R.S.A. Mr Jacobs spoke on rehabilitation, land settlement and pension problems and dealt with policy matters. Touching on the question of political action by the R.S.A., Mr Jacobs said possibly the return of men from the present war may alter the present R.S.A. policy of no-party politics. However, it was hoped that the older members would be a “steadying power behind the .throne.” Mr Jacobs said talk of increased production in New Zealand to help to feed the starving masses of the world was correct only in theory. In fact it could not be done, and there could not be satisfactory settlement on the land until the animal population was increased. From the dairy side it could not be done under 3 years. Mr Jacobs said he hoped that his scheme of having farmers keep more calves to supply service men wishing to take up farming on their return to civil life would be again considered. Mr Jacobs gave the membership of the N.Z.R.S.A. to date as being 42,000 of which 5,000 were men of the present war. He congratulated the Wairarapa R.S.A. on approaching the 1,000 membership mark. It was, he said, an increase of 111 on the 1921 peak membership.