LIMBLESS RETURMED SOLDIERS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1919, Page 3

LIMBLESS RETURMED SOLDIERS

WELLINGTON, June 12. About 40 limbless returned soldiers attended a meeting this evening, when IJr i "ad ier-general Richardson attended to address them. The general said he had been most anxious to meet tho limbless soldiers. Nothing impressed him so much as his visit to Rockhampton. It brought homo to him the real horrors of war. During the time he was in England he studied tho disabled soldiers’ problem, and saw that it would loom up large after the war. Jfo did not want to see limbless soldiers put 011 to temporary occupations. Tie desired to see them settled in permanent positions. He was going to take a close interest in them, but he asked those present to remember that there w-ere numbers of other disabled soldiers who were worse off than the limbless men. The New Zealand Expeditionary Force had suffered 50,000 battle casualties and of that number 1000 were limbless. Eighty per cent of the 1000 limbless who bad come back would have to be provided with employment. The general made individual inquiries r»f each man as to his position and prospects in life and noted eases for special inquiry. The general thanked the men for putting their cases before him. ,Ho had learnt a good deal from what had been said and be hoped that in a few months’ time there woidd not be any further need for complaint.