TREATMENT OF A RETURNED SOLDIER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 207, 27 May 1919, Page 6

TREATMENT OF A RETURNED SOLDIER

Sir,—ln reply to "Digger" I beg to state that on arrival in England after two and a half years in Egypt, I was ordered to New Zealand l'or discharge, and had I coma direct it would have been at the expense of the Now Zealand I Government, and 1 should have been on 1 pay all tha time.' Via America wa6 at 1 my own expense. The Minister grants monetary assistance for the transportation of officers' and men's wives if married on active service. 1 have received neither the equivalent to my own passago nor assistance for my wife's. As "Digger" 'has apparently not seen service and has made no sacrifices of health, limb, or money, lie. has no sympathy for 'those who have. In Juno, 1915, I was working on Anzac Beach in a "shack" covero with a blanket which "Beachy Bill" eventually riddled with shrapnel. I worked as long as sixteen hours a day, including Sundays, and the "genuine Diggers," for whom my two assistants and myself mado or repaired from seventy to one hundred sets of teeth per week, were grateful because they knew that Headquarters cared not a jot for the welfare of the privates' tectJr or anything else. An order had been issued to the effect that no man in need_ of artificial teeth was allowed to leaver the Peninsula until such time as he was too weak to be of use ill the firing line. In the fact of appalling official discouragement, I managed to give the men soino measure of relief. The salary "Digger" mentions was totally inadequate for such work done under fire, and consequently at risk of one's life. The Minister of Defence is, in my opinion, solely to blame for such conditions, as ho had tho power to order General Godley to establish dental organisation. Colonel Hunter was sent and told he would have to fight his own battles with General Godley. I wrote I'o the General in December, 191-t, and he made qiecious promises, but failed to carry them out. As far as I can make out, General Godley did just as he pleased. It may interest tho public to know that General Godley insisted on the Australians accepting the services of two New Zealnnd dentists early in 1915, and several others were allotted to the English troops, leaving very few of us with tho New Zealanders. The men in the meantime suffered from lack of necessary dental attention. The Americans sent one dentist equipped at a cost of. to attend every 500 troops. "Digger's sarcasm is wonderfully strong, and it is a pity such great strength should not lie devoted to helping some of the poor fellows who have been permanently .injured and poorly compensated by the Pensions Board, whose, policy b dictated by the Minister of Defence. The women in New Zealand have shown real sympathy to the soldiers, but a great many men have failed to do so. The Americans in Colon have been most kind to. our linen, who are utter strangers. They will do great things for their own soldiers, and. my two months in America will ever be a bright spot, because I received many kinduesse? and notorial help. I have made a statement of plain facts and I can substantiate them if "Digger" or anyone else cares to see them. I can show him that, the wholo of the pay I received while on service did little more than cover tho_ losses I sustained over, and above tho insurance which was paid me for tho loss of my effects. The net result i? three years of my life wasted and impaired health, and I have to try to re-establish myself i» my old position without assistance, in, spite of the Minister's cliyms in his re pirtriation scheme. If "Digger" lias anything further to say, I suggest that ho sign his name. It seem? impossible to get inquiry into the rights or wrongs of one's case, aud "Digger" sets ou.t -o deliberately misrepresent mine. My ex-j pcriencc is that the Minister of iOcrence avoids his obligations unless its suits him to do otherwise. As this war was presumably fought in the interests of democracy'. I suggest that muchless gratuity be given to us officers and more to tho "rank and file, who had the real rough edge of the fight. A decent gratuity would lielp the cases I nave mentioned and is much more necessary than a large present tt General Godley, who has been in receipt of something over £3000 per vear.-I am, etc., . J. S. FAIKOHILD, AVoodward Street, May 2G, 1919,