GROSS MISREPRESENTATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2783, 30 May 1916, Page 4

GROSS MISREPRESENTATION

'THE'CASE Off A RETURNED "SOLDIER. Under the heading of "Broken and Neglected" there ,'has . appeared in certain papers what is described as an absurd jumble of misstatements, • reprinted from the Auckland "Observer," regarding a returned soldier. An Auckland lady at present on_ a visit to Wellington has asked us to publish the facts of the matter. ■ "If I give you a brief" history of 1 case," she states, "you may do something to let the public know that such a terrible condition 'of affairs certainly does not exist in Auckland. "The soldier in. question is named —r, and when he returned here was paralysed from the hip downwards, and in a serious condition, with many months of weary waiting ahead of him, without any certainty of ultimate recovery. He is nice looking, and attractive, and soon became a great favourite with everyone— a sort of 'star', patient, though-many of his well-wishers thought him rather an unruly subjcct; but of course he undoubtedly was given latitude because of the sadness of his case. And the following will show how he repaid this caro and consideration. In the Annexe Soldiers' Hospital in Auckland thero aro two nurses in charge, who gave this soldier of their very best, not sparing, themselves in any way, and there was no one more delighted when he began slowly, but surely, to recover the use of his limbs, and great was everyone's satisfaction when, with the aid of one crutch and a stick, lie was able to hobble along. The misdemeanour referred to was this: Ho was given leave to go out (the men in this hospital have much more latitude than in other places, and can do what they like in reason, within certain hours). Well, lie went down town and ■was .treated by his friends (?) and returned homo in an unfortunate state, very late at night. He was in no condition to l:s remonstrated with, but was - 'carpeted' the next morning. And ho then mado a very foolish statement to the effect that lie had been 'with his mother.' The mother, as it happened, had been up at tho hospital that night to see her son, and was disappointed at missing him, but as iie was expected back any moment, the'nurse made her comfortable and she waited until her patiei'ce was exhausted and she then loft. The wholo episode was very upsetting to those devoted women who were keenly disappointed, and wero so afraid that all their labours would be undone, and that the man would. have a serious set-back. "Some little time after this, die was sent up to Eotoi-ua. and if he went un in unsuitable clothes, it.must have been from choice, for whenever I saw him— which was inanv times—he was well nnd comfortably clothed.

It is a very cruel untruth to <=av thnt no on« apparent.!v cared twopence * about this soldier, for J. from personal knowledge, know that he received unbounded kindness on every side."