Doctor swaps camp cooking for Army life

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 528, 22 March 1994, Page 5

Doctor swaps camp cooking for Army life

By

Michele

Monaghan

Waiouru has a new locum, Doctor John Milledge. He is in W aiouru until the end of April. Doctor Milledge is from Sheffield, England, and says New Zealand is very informal - a breath of fresh air for him. He arrived early January, bought a camper van and a kayak, then travelled around the country for about seven weeks. At the end of February it was time to do some work, so Dr Milledge gave the locum agency a ring and "a very smooth talking guy" told him of the virtues of Waiouru. He said everyone he talked to screwed their noses up at

the mention ot W aiouru, but he thinks it is just bad pres. He says the people are really friendly, and he is enjoying working with the staff both at the surgery and the hospitaL He is playing soccer during his stay, as well as trying out the local waters in his kayak. When asked how he found Army life, he was almost lost for words. "Different ... very different," he replied. The doctor is living in the officers' niess and, after cooking meals on a gas stove, he is feeling spoilt being fed three meals a day. "The bugles are getting up my nose," he said, "especially the one at 6. 1 5am." (This reporter didn't have the heart to tell him it' s 6.00 and 6.30am) At the end of his term, Dr Milledge will be replaced by Dr Schmidt from South Africa.