WRONGLY DISCHARGED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3133, 11 July 1917, Page 4

WRONGLY DISCHARGED

THE CASE OP THE EIGHT SOLDIERS Home days ago The Dominion gave publicity to the complaint of eight returned tiolcliers »Tm had, it was alleged, been returned to New Zealand and given their discharges and thm galled up without medical examination and posted to the next draft of reinforcements to leave for the front. Mr. L. M. Isitt asked a question in the House about one of these men yesterday, Baying that he hud been treated with extreme harshuess. Ho was a married man with one child. He had come back after nearly three years' service, had been discl'mrgcdl and thou after live .weeks recalled and sent into camp, and posted to a draft to leave three weeks later.

Sir James Allen: "1 know a good deal about these eight men. I do not know this man's individual circumstances, and I shall be glad to inquire as to whether his case is one of hardship. These men were sent back on duty. They were not sick.; Tnay were allowed to como as a privilege, for special reasons—to see their ■wives or families. It is true Uiat they were discharged on arrival after having been medically examined. Then information came to us which showed that they had got their discharges improperly." The Minister added 'that the discharges had been cancelled in consequence, and the men had been sent to camp.