H—lB

SECTION I—ORGANIZATION (i) The Rehabilitation Board 9. The members of the Rehabilitation Board are as shown in Table 1 of the Appendix of this report. 10. The personnel of the Board remains the same as at the date of the presentation of the last annual report, except that on Mr. G. P. Shepherd's retirement from the position of Under-Secretary for Maori Affairs, his successor, Mr. T. T. Ropiha, was .appointed to the Board as from Ist October, 1948. 11. The Board met on nine occasions throughout the year. However, the various Executive Committees of the Board continued to meet at regular intervals. (ii) The Council 12. The personnel of the National Rehabilitation Council is as set out in Table II of the Appendix. 13. The only change during the year was the replacement of Mr. G. P. Shepherd by Mr. T. T. Ropiha. 14. The Council met on four occasions throughout the year. SECTION lI—DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION 15. The heavy turnover in staff within the Department which was discussed in the last report has continued during the past twelve months. Resignations, &c., from the Department totalled 167, transfers to other Departments 66, and transfers from other Departments and new appointments 130. While a reduction in staff was anticipated with a reduction in certain activities, the Department has been affected by the fact that many experienced officers have received promotion in other Departments, and their positions, where filled, have been taken by less-experienced officers. Although the Department's operations have been carried on without detriment' to the service provided for ex-servicemen, this has been possible only by increasing the pressure on an already reduced staff. Further defection of key personnel would reduce the staff below the safety minimum needs for efficient service. 16. This report would not be complete without reference being made to the transfer of Mr. M. Sullivan, Assistant Director, who was appointed to the position of Assistant Under-Secretary of the Department of Maori Affairs in January, 1949. Mr. Sullivan had held the position of Assistant Director of Rehabilitation since September, 1944. His place has been taken by Mr. L. P. Turner, who, until appointed Assistant Director -of Rehabilitation, was District Rehabilitation Officer, Auckland. • SECTION lII—DEMOBILIZATION 17. The progress of demobilization as at 31st March, 1949, is shown in Table V of the Appendix. Of the total of 209,161 ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen recorded with the Department at that date, 143,696 served overseas, while 65,465 served in New Zealand only. SECTION IV—EMPLOYMENT (i) General 18. The buoyancy in industry continues to render the problem of placing exservicemen in employment a very minor one. The Labour and Employment Department continues to act as agent of the Board in this respect, and at the 31st March, 1949, there were only three ex-servicemen registered with the Department as seeking employment.

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