A SOLDIER'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 64, 10 December 1918, Page 5

A SOLDIER'S DEATH

THE CLEMENS CASE DEPARTMENTAL REPLY The following statement regarding the death of the soldier Roy Clemens at Hanmer was made by the Defence Minister (Sir James Allen) yesterday-:— As promised I have had inquiries mode with respect to the case of the ' late Private Hoy Clemens, about whom .an open letter was addressed to each member of Parliament, and desire to make the following explanation:— 1. The fact that the. parents desired Private Clemens' removed. from tho annexe to the Main Hospital was brought under the notice of Surgeon-General Henderson by Mr. D. Seymour, secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association. Dr. Magniro was immediately communicated with, and replied that every attention was accorded Private Clemens at '. the annexe, but to satisfy the mother ho had made tho transfer. Dr. Mngnire denies that there was neglect or that he expressed his strongest disapproval of the treatment of Private Clemens. 2. Private Clemens was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on June 13, suf- .-. fering from gas-poisoning, and made marked improvement there. He hiinself requested a change from Auckland. The change to Hanmer was deemed advisable by Dr3. Mngnire and Williams, and both were of the opinion that the patient was in a fit state to travel. The Assistant Director of Medical Services accordingly issued the necessary travelling warrants, and provided a serg&mt orderly. Dr. Maguiro himself reports:— Both Dr: AVilliams and I consider that Private Clemens was in a fit condition to -undertake the journey, otherwise he would not have been sent. I asked for a first-class ticket for the .patient and for an orderly to be sent, and this "wis arranged by tho A.D.M.S., Auckland. The sergeant was a member of the staff of a hospital sbip, and had teen connected .with St. John Ambulance for fifteen years. The Department regard him • as capable, trustworthy,- and reliable. ,'• ■ , - 3. Permission was not refused Mr. Clemens to . travel with his son. A | young ladv presented- a letter addressed 'to Surgeon-General Henderson, marked "Personal," and informed his secretary that Mr. Clemens was going to meet his son at Palmerston North and wanted a railway pass to Wellington. Tho secretary—not Surgeon-General Hendersoninformed, her that "a railway pass was only given where the patient needed assistance and was not in charge of an orderly. As the office of the DirectorGeneral of Medical Services was not aware as to the arrangements made, the lady was advised to inform.Mr. Clemens to approach the Diroctor of Military Hospitals, who'had the papers. Evidently Mr. Clemens did so, and it .was then ascertained that '. permission to travel was asked for. There was really no necessity to make such an application, as the soldier was travelling by an ordinary nassengor train and not by a troop: train. • -, , . 4. The patient was not regarded as a cot case, and the transfer-from train to steamer was left-to the sergeant orderly, who had power to engage motors. If Mr. Clemens was of opinion that a rest was advisable in Wellington, the Department would have raised no objection had he-kept his son back, and informed the medical authorities in the morning if he could not get into touch with them earlier. The fact that - the patient reached Wellington on a public holiday was no doubt responsible for Mr. Cleniens's* inability to get into touch' with the medical officers, but in order-to guard as far a3 possible' against just such a contingency arising an inquiry telephone was early established at Headquarters, with an attendant in charge day and night. • . , Regarding the assertion that "without -. some superior -authority he (the orderly) was obliged to continue the trip," the 6ergeant reports that he- suggested breaking the journey at Wellington, but the patient replied that he would rather push on and finish the journey. 5. It is admitted that-the patient was in a weak condition on arrival at Hanmer. Lieutenant-Colonel' Mftkgill saw the patient at. Christchurch, and gave him breakfast, and considered that as he had withstood the sea trip so Veil he was able to proceed to Hanmer. The patient also desired this. At Culverden the Colonel noticed a change, and assisted him to the car, and saw Mm well wrapped up. Lieutenant-Colonel Bernau gave the case his personal attention on arrival, and until death supervened. ,In his report! this officer states that if'influenza had.not intervened his patient might -have made a moderate recovery. In his opinion a complete recovery could never have been hoped for owing to the serious involvement of lungs caused by gas and the patient's cardiac weakness. The New Zealand public know only too well how quickly and easily influenza takes hold, and with what results. 6. The evidence does not support Mr. Clemens's statement that the orderly who accompanied his son was nursing influenza patients up til! within two hours of taking charge of the soldier. The sergeant-orderly states that he had not nursed any influenza patients for fourteen days prior to taking- charge of tho deceased.. As a matter of fact, the orderly himself contracted .influenza on the journey. I

7. It reems clear that if the late Private Clemens had not unfortunately contracted influenza he' would have been alive to-day. As is well known, some of the strongest men in New Zealand have suocumbed' to this malady, and the late soldier, owing to his disability, possessed little power of resistance. 8. Returned soldiers are all treated alike, though •'■ officers have separate wards. This is a world-wide custom.' i