A CASE OF HARDSHIP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2569, 17 September 1915, Page 6

A CASE OF HARDSHIP

Tho position of medical orderlies at Trent'ham was discussed in the House Trentham was discussed ill the House of Representatives on .Wednesday, when Mr. G. J. Anderson (Matarua) gave particulars of a case in which lie said hardship had been _ inflicted. A man enrolled as a medical orderly for work at Trentham, under the system by which suitable men who were prevented from going to the front through somo slight physical, defect or through being ovor the maximum age, were permitted to ■ take up such duties at the camp, was medically examined at Gore, lie had a slight defect, but he was appointed an orderly at Trentham. Then, after working thoro for a time he and two otlier men 111 a similar position were medically re-examined and discharged. This man had thrown, up a permanent position and was thrown on his own resources. Mr. Anderson asked that the Minister should take steps to prevent a recurrence of such happenings and should also make somo monetary recompense to the man. The Hon. J. Allen (Minister of Defence) said that such' cases were difficult to deal with, and each would have to bo treated 011 its own merits. The difficult problem in connection with recruiting as 'far as tho medical examination was concerned, was to mako the local examinations uniform, and to ensure that men should not be sent into camp if they were not -fit. However, lie would, inquire into the matter. He expressed tho hope that in all cases where men left their employment to enlist their cmnloyers would do their best to keep their situations open for -ihem.