ARMY MEDICAL SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2506, 6 July 1915, Page 7

ARMY MEDICAL SERVICE

A NEW DIRECTOR ( AN IMPERIAL OFFICER APPOINTED The Minister of Defence has secured the services of. an officer of tho Royal Army Medical Corps to tako control of the New Zealand; Medical Service. "For some time' I havo had under consideration; tlie necessity for having experts to organise, and take control of the training of our Army Medical Servicoj" said Mi-. Allen, referring to the subject yesterday. "On June 13 a telegram was sent the Army. Council asking .whether' they could appoint a senior officor of the R:A.M.C. as Director of Medic.il Services in New' Zealand. This morning we received a. reply that they had' selected' Colonel R. S.. F. Henderson, honorary physician to the King, for the appointment, and to-day-we have 1 agreed .to that appointment. Instructions havo been sent to the. High. Commissioner ' to make . the necessaiv arrangements, and we hope that. Colonel Henderson will leave at once for Now Zealand. This, war has revealed : to us. tho very'. great necessity. organisation of; our Army Medical Service, and experience of our training camps led us to believe that expert advico was required. I do not say that our medical men . are not competent to do all. the medical and surgical work required, but in the Army Medical Service' there.; is : a great deal beyond {hat. Most of all it requires organisation, of which we have had no experience, spd. now that tho war is with us we particularly want it. • That is the reason why wo have asked for this appointment: I may say that there, was a great deal. of difficulty .about getting someone to come to us, and we are very grateful to the Homo authorities; for,v tho ' assistance.' they, are rendering.us -'at this itime."'.