THE ANZAC HOSPITAL ARRANGEMENTS
'■' DELAYED MESSAGES BASE FOR THE WOUNDED The following cabled Press Association toessagra have just been released by the Censor:— • , London, April 11. the proposal to evacuate the Australian awl Kew Zealauders via Marseilles io ikSTPt is exciting much cominent. Official rjedical opinion sharply, criticises the proposal, ivhich entails-the scrapping of the whole hospital organisation built up during eighteen mouths. It is understood •that the War Office says it wants alltho 'hospitals in ■ Great'- Britain for British soldiers. If this is a fact, it is difficult to see what Australia and New Zealand *an answer. The scheme, is based on :the desirability of evacuating- the, troops in the direction of their own country. Critics have no fault to find with the proposed camps. .The Marseilles site is an excellent one; tho old'lndian buildlugs afford comfortable quarters for oftV eel's aud nurses and storerooms, . while the -centre of the camp is occupied by tents and other equipment It is" suggested that Harefield should bo converted into a hospital for serious cases, utilising Epsom lor convalescents. In an emergency many Angle-Australians receive tho convalescents in'to their private houses, which' .is'impossible at Marseilles. The critics' chance is to insist on tho value' of a visit to-the Old.Country, in assisting recruiting. Australians and ,iVi:w tfealauders regard the., furlough in London as some recompense for their wounds. It" is believed the -Australian Government doubts the ■wisdom of change. .It is known that Mr. Hughes strongly opposes it, while tho •Attitude of the I'vew Zealand Government 'has not been revealed... Unofficial Kew Zealand opinion,', including that of Anzac convalescents,-is'tha't : it will not give eome of tho wounded a fair chance of recovery. Doctors and nurses ■. with . .Egyptian experience state that it is bfte;: so undesirable to operate in Egypt during : the summer" that .patients are sent to Italy; also, it. is difficult to'ensure sufficiently good ' hbspitit' : food, 'especially eggs. The climate of the entire Mediterranean region is undesirable in the summer, especially for South Australians, ■ lasmanians, and N'ew Zealanders. Probably the best solution of the difficulty is to utilise, two. hospitals: Marseilles . for: wounded men needing a warm ell- 1 : mate, including lung cases, of which : tjiere is a larger number than might have been expected, aud send the other Anzacs to England. •:■■ ■■"..'•:- ' -\. •
'..';• :■■;.. London, April 15. ' -""' No. decision has yet -been reached regarding the Australians, ''. but thera is some concern over the New Zealanders' decision in favour of . Egypt. . Medical men. deprecate the change, and declare . .that .Egypt is -' suitable, only for a few i special, cases. They favour England for the majority of the cases. AA r hen the New Zealanders learn that, there is a J.Jikelihood of the wounded going to Egypt jthey will'share their officers', keen disLappointment; v.'-''; .... V The. New Zealand AYar Contingent As- & ociation' has warmly'.protested against ',15 he change..' Many cable messages have e& ready been sent urging New Zealand fcb',, reconsider the matter and ensure njjt iformity of Australian, and New Zea■W.*'d arrangements, as. when .the troops ai«:. fighting side by side' the difficulties off, transport are/likely, to increase. M 3 : is understood'that., the possibility, of • placing 'the . entire English wounded frou/i..' the West front in . hospitals, in Fra a ice is under consideration.; ■. It is,an imf h>. ense problem! 'in which .the Austra-liar-ls. and New '■' Zealanders are comparative jy a small".number. jThe welfare of the J British Army must be the guiding facta or, bnt Australians and New Zealande ff's in England, including thp highest office; 0 V. hope that it will still be practical 4>. to bring the wounded to England. --~ , )"
It.-XV expected, that there, will bit a conference with the' British authorities before i the hew Australian plan is chosen; In the - meantime arrangements are being mads Jfor , the Australians to go to Wimeri .5 aux directly they arc wounded. Five h.v-udred new heds are being in--stalled, iughty being in the Vernon Jones mil. TIIP remainder are in tents. ,Tl\e eight ' a'B ditional doctors and twenty nurses're4 fuiied for these Australians are all avail; 1 ble in London. ..■■■'-;
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2768, 11 May 1916, Page 5
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675THE ANZAC HOSPITAL ARRANGEMENTS Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2768, 11 May 1916, Page 5
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