CARE OF SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 157, 22 March 1918, Page 6

CARE OF SOLDIERS

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT REFUSES TO FOOT THE BILLS.

The refusal of tho Defenco Department to pay for the iiospital treatment which some soldiers have received was again considered by the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday. ) Tho. secretary df the board said that a number of men had been treated at the Victoria Hospital, but the Defence Department had declined to foot the bills. He instanced several cases. Ono was of a soldier on leave from camp, who had fallen off a tramcar, and had been taken to' the Victoria Hospital, and there treated. His bill of £99 was now "turned down" by the Department. It appeared that the Department was endeavouring to escape liability on the ground that the men had not been sent to the Hospital by the Department. However, tho men had been admitted by Colonel Morice, who was in charge of the institution. Mr. C. M. Luke said that the Defence Department had taken up a most improper position. Mr. F. T. Moore said that it was well known that the Defence Department was tho greatest wriggler in the country. Tho chairman said the board was not going to give in. It was resolved to write to the Department mentioning particulars of specific cases in which tho Department declined liability and requesting tile Department to pay the accounts. One of the committees reported to tho hoard that tho. Defence Department had now paid_ for the outstanding bacteriological fees". ■