LIMBS FOR SOLDIERS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18216, 29 October 1924, Page 8

LIMBS FOR SOLDIERS.

STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER. (SFECUL TO "THE PBISS.") WELLINGTON, October 28. Sir Heaton Rhodes has written to the secretary of the ChristchurcK Returned Soldiers' Association as follows: "It would appear that you are still under some serious misapprehensions as regards the supply and repair of artificial limbs by my Department. Service amputees are now being supplied with a light metal limb which is superior to the wooden limb. The fitting, supply, and repair of this limb can at present be carried out only at tho artificial limb workshop in Wellington, as it is only there that the method of working the metal employed is understood. If in the future artificial limb makers elsewhere in New Zealand acquire the knowledge necessary to work in this metal, and are able to carry out this work at a reasonable cost to the Department, their employment will of course be considered.

"With reference to the statement in the body of your letter, in which you say: 'They would lose their employment,' as their employers would not put up with the inconvenience of their absence from work every time they needed repairs to their artificial limbs,' you arc also in this.respect under a very grave misapprehension. The majority of repairs to artificial limbs can be, and are, carried out by forwarding the limb by post to the artificial limb workshop. In the case of the supply of new limbs, measurements have been taken over a large part of New Zealand, and the Canterbury district will shortly be visited with the same object, so that it will be only in exceptional cases that a man will be required to attend the factory. I shall be glad if you will please explain the position to the limbless soldiers, as it is clear from their resolution that they do not understand it."