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Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1919, Page 3

What appears to be a complete over-sight o>i the part of the Defence authorities in not notifying the nearest relative of a soldier being wounded and subsequently expiring has been revealed in the ease of a Gisborne HOldier, .Private J. Hallstead who left New Zealand with the .‘slst Reinforcement (says the “Poverty Hay Hprold). liis wife, who at present resides in Gisborne, received a' letter recently, written by a comrade of her husband’s who was in a bed alongside his in a hospital in France and in the course of the letter he Intimated that Private Mallstead was too weak to write. He had been wounded and was in great pain, and he thought “the worst was over.’’ No notification was received by the Defence authorities and later a letter was received from the matron of a casualty clearing station in France that her husband, who was Wounded in the thigh and face on October 1(5, expired 12 days later. The widow of the deceased so Idicr is still awaiting advice from the Defence authorities. Private Hallstead was formerly employed at one of the local freezing works as a fireman.