SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2677, 25 January 1916, Page 9

SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES

DR. THACKER'S LIST OP WRONGS INQUIRIES BEING MADE Further comments on the alleged grievances of soldiers at Auckland, discovered by Dr. fhacker, were made by the Defence Minister and the Minister lor Public Health yesterday. "Wo are always quite ready to answer any legitimate criticism," said Mr. Allen, "and quite prepared to rectify any mistakes, if it is• discovered that mistakes have been made, and in such a huge undertaking as this it is possible that some errors may occur. We can deal with them when wo get individual cases referred to. Dr. Thacker has given us individual cases, and every one of them will bo thoroughly inquired into and reported upon to me—that is, so far as the complaints concern the Defence Department. Those cases which 'concern the Health Department will no doubt receive-the'same"attention. I am having the Defence cases examined' into at the present moment, and I have no' doubt the Hon. the Minister of Public Health is having his complaints similarly .taken up". "We have issued a returned, soldiers' handbook, and we have asked soldieis where they have any grievances to represent them to the proper quarters. Wo have told them to go either to the Base Records Office, Brandon Street, or to the Q.M.S. Branch on matters concerning their pay. And the object of the Defence Department is to. get the work cleared up as soon as possible. We don't want to withhold soldiers' pay, and the public will readily understand we don't do so. But we cannot settle up the different accounts until we get the men's books and have all the necessary papers. There may be fines recorded against a man. for instance. Cases have occurred where me» have been over-paid, and we do not want to be asking for refunds." The Minister was questioned as to the part the patriotic societies could play and wore playing in assisting discharged soldiers, and he replied that some societies, particularly the Canterbury Society were doing very good work. Ho could speak specifically of the Canterbury Society, because it was sending him details regularly of its work, giving the cases assisted, and the help it proposed to give. No doubt other bodies were, doing similar good work. The Minister for Publio Health (the Hon. G. W. llussell) lias also begun his inquiries; "Of all the cases mentioned by Dr. Thacker," said Mr. Russell, "only that of the man Angrove concerns my Department, and I have telegraphed to Dr. Herbert at Rotorua, asking whether this man was sent up by tlie Public Health or the Defence authorities, whether he did apply at the hospital, and whether lie was told from day to day to wait. Apparently the man did not stay long in Rotorua. He arrived there on Monday evening, and left on Thursday morning. Of course if ho was a discharged soldier. Dr. Herbert could not take him in, and if he was a soldier still in the service he would be sent to Rotorua either by the Defence authorities or the hospital authorities, .and Dr. Herbert would have admitted him."