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Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1917, Page 2

\ Therewwas 4s s 4 case mentioned at the nictating of tlieSjVostlnnd " Patriotic Committee on Monday which vs worthy of public attention, ns showing; the tendency of the authorities to d*al very coldly—to put it mildly— Kith a returned soldier. Briefly the caso in point was a returned man who after doing lia> bit with the JC.Z. Second Brigade at Armentieres jnovtfd of? with bis comrades to-wards

the Somme to tako part later in that! memorable fight. While en route there was a halt by the way, and to keep up the spirits of the men, the rivalry of the companies, and particularly the condition of tho soldiers a football match was arranged at a suitable halting place one afternoon In this game our soldier friend had the misfortune to break his leg. Ho sent to the hospital, then back to, Engan finally to Now Zealand where he was discharged with the following note on his papers: “He is discharged in consequence of being no longer physically fit for war service on account of injury sustained on active gervfice.” While .still unable to i& turn to work he applied for a pension, and was refused, and is still refused any assistance from tho Pensions partment. The man has not roturneu to his usual health, and ho is not; able to go bock to his former employment. As a matter of fact, earning less money per day than before tne war he lias been able to work u.i.y thirty days this year. It would appear That the Pensions Bt?ard has dealt very unfairly with this ex-sold-jier. The Minister was appealed to and we regret to say Sir James Allen lias endorsed tho action of the Board Very properly the Westland Society purposes moving farther in this matter, and in tho interests of tho honour and credit of the Dominion w e uo|w will succeed.