HEALTH OF OUR SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1915, Page 4

HEALTH OF OUR SOLDIERS.

, "KIHTATI.IN' TO MI.VISTKIW. By Telegraph.—Pvess Association. Wellington, Last x ight A deputation representing the W ■!- hog on branch ~f tlu . Britj|j|l Alpdio(il ..ssiaution waited upon Hons. James' Alien ( .yim,ter ( , l A, lu ., )awl J K a 7 hod,, (M.n,sterf l ,r]le ll ltl, )ti , i , llf J: ''"".' l " M ' l ' k "'formation and make H „„. K<;s t.«.is wjtl. regard to the treatment *uk soldiers ,„ ,„„„ Bnil (lu , w <<) <»> lien- return iron, the front. The di-putntmn comprised Dra. Klliott (,»e. -7").'^^,Christie, and .iiosen: JH.ued 1, . had taken an Hllfair advHn . >.W with regard to a communication ;:;w-., d" not ursh to emphasise the f H et that .. Liter which lie had wnt t „ th -j ' •"• had , lot been ackno*- „. 1 * '•' ,| '" tl ' r<,c,, S"»'l that mi*. understandings sometimes are.se, and j, e *.i» nowsalislied that the Minister wa. e,t to hlame ,n the matter. He wanted to explain that the deputation, did not '■'•"! «!'»n the Ministers in « ~,r „ i u„ cr,tie.s„,g K|.ir.t; they desired t„ give hi lp in this national'crisis. The medical men throughout the dominion, outsid* the military service, were at sixes and nevovs with regard to wlmt uas expect- ™," tl,cm > , lmt -"»'•'* had anything dolose or ~le,l r put hefore them, an d »i ii spirit of unanimity they desired to k.nv.v 1-,,-n- they could l,„ of service in attending the sick soldiers. At present they knew nothing of what was to be done in regard to the sick, at the various homes which had been offered, to th« U.iernu.eut for returned sick soldiers, and such bmldmgs an the Kelbmu and Oriental Bay tea kiosks. 1, ; regard to the hospitals already in existence, audi as ISorhamporo and Kaiwarra, so far an they knew these institution* were «"t elleetual or supplied with medical utnndanls. lie knew of more than on* c«m! where deatlis had occurred in the presence of relatives, who wondered th.it no medical, men were apparently available.

Mr. Allen: "Wlmt hospital was that!" .Dr. <„bbs said |„, thought it was Berhamporc. Then a difficulty had already amen m Wellington in regard to men I who had Imsi'h sent out of camp in a convalescent stage. Many had relapse*, and there was no provision for treating Ihein. These men naturally looked fir medical services at the hands of tho military authorities but the contia«eii'.:y had not been provided for Tha trouble with the local practitioners wag to know what to do. Overworked as t.icy woe, an extra strain was thrust on them by bavin- to rush in to temporarily attend these men in their homes or bnarding-liouscH.

J.r. hlliott said the deputation aho desired iiiformntion in regard to the J'nntham.hospital, which had been lookid upon as a very urgent mutter The <l'i»tion had arisen why no heed had teen given to the wishes of,the Association. Only the nucleus of a hospital now existed,* but it might have been made vise of to prevent the present epidemic extending to its present dimensions if their advice had been listened to. Had the Association known that then* was to be no hospital, they might have provided ambulances to convev the sick and wounded more quickly nnd safely than had been done by the one or two ambulances that were used. When the war broke out the medical officers of tha territorial forces in the Old Country wore immediately give,, an array status, "id it was thought Tho same thins might have been ,1,111,- here. The neirlect to do so had caused the territorial medical ollicers to be of no use. What tho deputation thought was that the Medical Corps should be extended, aihl tho territorial ollicers given authority to -upcrvise and 1. in the hospitals. Mr. Allen: "Will they give us the whole of their timer"

J)r. Elliott: 'They would give part o» their time, in the s,.me way us wis dona at Home.

Mr. Allen, replying to the deputation, said he was sorry there had been any misunderstanding about the letter he received on June 30. As to the matters brought forward, only general principle concerned him as Minister for Defence because a great amount of the work with respect to hospital arrangmento bad been kindly taken over by his colleague, Mr. Rhodes.

The Hon. R. H. Rhodes said he wished to dtsabuse the minds of the deputation of "any idea that the doctors were being wwoeft to serve the Defence Department gTatuitiously. When the matter of securing the services of the doctors ntl an organised body had been mentioned in the House of Represcntativs by tha wader of the Opposition, mention had been made of the fact that certain oflurs ol service had reached the department from the doctors, but there wan no proposal to ask medical men to act tor the department without charge. 1 Hittll be very glad if you will meet the head of the Public Health Depart- ■ i"oi»t and consult with him with regard to organisation," said the Minister. _ J urning to the question of the invalided soldiers, Mr. Rhodes said that it ww at.-s.tmed that most of the men would be suliieiently recovered to he lime to proceed to their own homes. Tho rohitnes, in nearly every ease, had tji«. nthi'd a desire to receive the men at |>i:i.-e. Hospital accommodation would »: /ea.l,v lor men who still required I li'-.'tmenl. Wellington was. perhaps, v.'-t'-e <>IV than oilier places in this re. t. I.iil beds would be available for "><-■> '.bo needed them. With regard lo I'liitlids whose relatives reside,l oilt- "' 'l'■ Zealand, emivalescent homes Woii-d be provid.d. The kiosk at Ori-li:-'-V , 1 '" 1 '"' r " !' ! ''-|«ire.l, and ho . .-HI "lief of the u-e of KelK 1 : 1 ;-- medival ollieers : I" tile Oil,, rent districts would be asked •>o a I'ier t l lc liien.