H—lB

50. During the year 143 new applications were approved for full-time study in New Zealand, 40 ex-servicemen were granted assistance to carry out studies overseas, and 1,683 new students were granted assistance for part-time study in New Zealand. 51. The renewal of educational facilities granted in previous years has, and will for some time yet, form the bulk of the work in the sphere of educational assistance. For the period under review 677 full-time bursaries for study at New Zealand University colleges and institutions were renewed, while a continuation of part-time assistance was granted in 5,416 cases, and 127 miscellaneous small grants covering travelling expenses, adjustments to fees, &c., were made. 52. A close watch is being maintained upon the various fields of employment likely to be offering to students upon qualification, although up to the present time no great difficulty has been met by ex-servicemen in obtaining suitable positions. 53. Table IX sets out the total facilities granted as at 31st March, 1949. (ii) Extra-tutorial Assistance 54. Over the past three years financial assistance has been made available by the Board to the various University colleges in order to provide extra tutorial classes for ex-servicemen students, many of whom had been away from study for a number of years. 55. The continuance of this assistance for 1950 will be reviewed at the end of the current year. (iii) Examination Results 56. From a survey of the 1947 examination results of ex-servicemen students in receipt of rehabilitation education assistance it is again gratifying to record the successes achieved. Full-time students passed in 79-33 per cent, of the total number of subjects attempted and part-time students in 52-19 per cent. Taking into account the long absence from studies through service that many ex-servicemen and women have had, the results obtained are most creditable. 57. Many ex-servicemen also achieved distinction in various academic fields through gaining scholarships and bursaries by which they are enabled to carry out further studies in New Zealand and overseas. For the second year in succession an ex-serviceman who had graduated with rehabilitation assistance was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. (iv) Children of Deceased and Totally Disabled Servicemen 58. It is pleasing to report that children of deceased and totally disabled servicemen are availing themselves of the various forms of rehabilitation educational assistance which is available upon completion of secondary schooling. Approximately 2,500 of these children are eligible for rehabilitation assistance, but the majority of them are still attending primary or secondary schools. It can be assumed that future demands for rehabilitation assistance on behalf of these children must necessarily increase as their secondary schooling is completed. 59. So that due encouragement is given to children of deceased and totally disabled ex-servicemen to take up training for a worth-while trade or career, and in appropriate cases to discourage entry into unskilled work where the comparatively higher commencing wage may be the inducement, the Rehabilitation Board last year reviewed the scale of assistance made available to those children in employment.

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