H—lB

Education Committee of the Rehabilitation Board and policy outlined to them and any local problems settled. From present figures it appears that over 2,500 children will be eligible for assistance. SECTION VIII.—DEPARTMENTAL AND LOAN EXPENDITURES 64. Departmental expenditure and loan authorizations for rehabilitation purposes for the year ended 31st March, 1948, totalled £19,086,882, representing a decrease of £2,262,518 by comparison with the total of £21,349,400 for the previous year. 65. Details of departmental expenditure are summarized in Table V of the Appendix, while details of loan authorizations appear in Table 111. SECTION IX.—LOAN FACILITIES 66. Table 111 of the Appendix details the totals of loan authorizations under various headings from the commencement of operations to the 31st March, 1948. The efficient functioning of the nine District Executive Committees at Auckland, Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, under general direction of the Rehabilitation Loans Committee of the Board, has made possible the handling of a large number of applications for financial assistance with a minimum of delay. 67. Loan repayments in general are very satisfactory, with the exception that furniture and tools of trade loans (which are interest-free) are in many cases in arrear. The Board is of the opinion that these arrears are unjustified in view of the present favourable employment and trade position, and special measures designed to ensure payment of these accounts are at present under consideration. SECTION X.—BUSINESS LOANS AND SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EX-SERVICEMEN (i) General 68. Ex-servicemen have continued to show a strong interest in acquiring or establishing all types of business. Loan authorizations for the year ended 31st March, 1948, reached a total of £996,878, involving 1,344 cases, compared with £1,137,119 in 1,661 cases for the previous year. 69. While a large number of ex-servicemen have been assisted during the year, there is still a large number of eligible ex-servicemen who desire to be established in businesses of their own. 70. The Board continues to ask the public to give preference to ex-servicemen whenever there are existing businesses for sale, but the response has been sufficient to provide for a comparatively small number only. 71. It is again pleasing to note that, in general, the ex-servicemen who have been assisted into business are making satisfactory progress. (ii) Transport Industry 72. The field of transport continues to afford opportunities for ex-servicemen to establish themselves in business. Assistance offered by the Rehabilitation Board in obtaining licences, finance, vehicles, and equipment is widely sought. The Department follows the policy laid down by the Rehabilitation Board and more particularly as outlined in the annual report for 1946. 73. During the year under review 448 licences (other than taxi) were obtained by ex-servicemen either by way of transfer of existing businesses or the granting of new licences. This total comprises 44 passenger, 391 goods, and 13 rental-car licences. On 31st March, 1948, 222 ex-servicemen were registered with the Department as desiring these types of licences.

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