AS TO THE WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2476, 1 June 1915, Page 7

AS TO THE WOUNDED

(To the Editor.) Sir, —TheDefenco Minister has wisely informed the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke; that the civic oil'cr ol a hospital lor wounded soldiers may await developments, as it was not known yet what accommodation would be' needed by those returning from the front. In the meantime the Government has been inundated with offers from geuerouslydisposed members of the public who have willingly offered mansions, country homes, beds in private hospitals, etc.. for the same excellent purpose, iiut so far the problem of tho wounded has yet to be solved. Take the three (jeneral phases of the wounded—"dangerously wounded," "wounded," and "slightly wounded." As to the former, it is scarcely likely that they would be removed when in such a condition from the comfortable and wellappointed and admirably stalfed hospitals at Cairo, Alexandria, and Malta; nor is it likely that the slightly wounded will he returned, as a few weeks' rest and treatment would fit them for the front again. It is then the wounded—the maimed or sick who are likely to como back. As to the former, if tney have had to be operated upon for amputations or bullet extraction, the.v would naturally be run down, and the five weeks' voyage back to New Zealand would be the best of tonics, and just the treatment that would land them back in New Zealand fairly fit and well. Those who have had the misfortune to suffer severely through oneumonia or fever are likely to need careful nurture and skilled medical attendance, but the proportion of such would not be a large one.

Assumine that these arguments aro I'airl.v sound, it would not- appear that the demand for hospital accommodation in New Zealand would be very heavy. On too of that it must, too, be borne in mind that those coming back "unlit" in the military sense are returning to their own country, and something like SU lier cent, will be well enough to return to their own homes, to be cared ror by those to whom tbey aro nearest and dearest. It is probable that the Defence Minister had thoughts similar to these when he allowed the city's offer to remain in abeyance for the present. The above arguments have already been borne out in the case of the first lot of men to be invalided home.- By tho time they reached New Zealand there were, I am told, only three or four that were not fully restored to health.—l am, etc.,