ARTIFICIAL LIMBS FOR RETURNED MEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 29, 27 April 1927, Page 4

ARTIFICIAL LIMBS FOR RETURNED MEN

A REPLY TO CRITICISM Stormy exception is taken by the management of the McKay Artificial Limb Company to the allegation of the Auckland branch of the eßtumed Soldiers’ Association that the manufacture of artificial limbs is causing dissatisfaction among disabled returned men. There is an entire absence of any specified complaint, writes the company’s New Zealand manager to the editor of THE SUN, and the allegation is culpably irresponsible. If there is dissatisfaction with the present method of supplying limbs, asks the manager, how is it that no specified complaint has been made to the company or to the supplying department, which is the New Zealand taxpayers’ representative in the matter? Again, it is asked, why is it that the Auckland branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association has consistently shirked any official investigation of the complaints and not even taken the trouble to communicate with the company’s Auckland representative? Only a small proportion of the returned men are members of the association, however, concludes the writer. Thus that body has no right to consider itself the voice of the vast body of soldiers in the Auckland Province. The company has strictly adhered to a policy of. dealing with individual amputees in an individual way and has been rewarded by increasing business and a geenral expression of satisfaction on the part of Its clients. The surgical department of the Pension? Office would verify the fact that the company had been able to fit men who had never previously been able to wear limbs continuously or follow a regular occupation. THE ASSOCIATION’S ATTITUDE It was the principle, and not an individual firm, that the R.S.A. were opposed to, said the Auckland secretary to a SUN man this morning— the principle of the Government granting * contract to one firm and then debarring a disabled soldier from going to the firm which gave him the greates satisfaction. The present contracting firm had admitedly given complete sat' isfaction in many cases, but there were others in which great inconvenience had been caused through disaoiea men being limited to the one firm. The association did not recognise tna contracting firm in the matter, but made representations to the Government to have the present policy and a deputation from Dunedin - 1 waited upon the responsible depart ment in Wellington to have an inquiry made into the question.