SOLDIERS' COMPLAINTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1916, Page 5

SOLDIERS' COMPLAINTS.

DR. THACKER'S ALLEGATION* , ■ OFFICIAL REPORTS V^i-^: t (From New Zealand Time*.) 1 ' ' "., Dr. Tliaeker, M.P., has made against the Defence Department,, ftpii.; in doing so has mentioned certain epariv fie cases of alleged . injustice to return- - ed soldiers," said tho Defence Mlnlrtff (Hon. J, Allen) on Tuesday. "He'gaw'i names and other details, and I Sawheen able to secure information regard- 1 iug the men he mentioned. . '• "First there is the case of Gttorgt, Dibley, 12/1043. Dibley was recommend*' ed for discharge and civilian occujfctiQßby a medical board on January 14th. Ha j complained that he had not got iiis pßjya sum of £7 10s being owing to Mm/ 1 1 liurl that this money was posted ti '. Dibley on December oth. He dhl nit"' get it because he had changed Jris anV.J dress and had omitted to in(orm the Hir/\ fence Department of the fact. Muflnttei instructions have been given to ajj! thj returned soldiers that they are tn-JCQtt') the Department informed of their" %&>'i dresses, and if they fail to du so t&o , ! Department cannot keep in toncu \>r(l» f them. The Auckland Offence graphed on January 21st that the tiftfi warrant had reached Dihlev. ' | •Then Dr. Thacker stated that Sv;<jpj ney Robert Phillip,, 12.A2051, a HMrrlfMrf man, had received only seven day*' pkys since December. 4 This soldier's marriajTO'S has not been reported to Defence Htad»| quarters. His attestation papers stata.| him to be unmarried ami give his sUtcifJ as hi.- next of kin. He has heen re<iapp;| mended for discharge and civilian Cinvi ployment. lie has been pa'd in full January 7th, and the balance of hit payVj to February 4th has been forwarded ,ti) 'if him by post. > ~\

"Walter J. IV. Thorpe. 12/ISU7. instated by Dr. Thaokcr to have been im*l able to get nnv MitMui-tion from the (iuvernment medical aiitimiitics ami to' have been discharged on December 15th lacking some Cli of pay. Thorpe re* turned by the Tahiti, ami was Bejit to the Auckland Hospital for treatment on September Uth. Later lie was re«. moved to the Epsom convalescent home", and reported as seriously ill there; on" October 20th. A medical b'oard gavchUft' extended sick leave to December ■ 3rd .l He was examined again on •November 26th and recommended for discharge.'' The medical board reports that lie left; the Auckland Hospital contrary to in<' structions. Colonel Hope Lewis ,' alto. twice examined this man and reo<ftn> mended bis discharge. He was discharge ed on December 10th and the Pensions Board granted him an allowance of Sffß weekly for three months as from tbat£ date. Thorpe has received all his p»r; except a sum of £2 held pending thift arrival of accounts from the ovtruajdepat in accordance, with the rait l»sdi down in the Returned Soldiera* Manual, "The fourth case mentioned by JJf,.. Thasker, that of Charles Anmv&ii 12/89*, has been dealt with by the Sfias ister for Public Health." The Minister for Public Health (Roaf, G. W. Russell) stated that ho huTr** ceived a further communication Dr. Herbert, the medical office* charge of the Rotorua camp, KgaadhttKJ the ease of Charles Angrove: "I awST formed that Angrove left for Auckland* on the 20th, not the lßth, stated, tta .doctor. "Otherwise the fact* art »»■ stated. Angrove went in company with' another man, whom I »]m imortad a*