MILITARY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1916, Page 2

MILITARY SERVICE.

THE CASE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS.

By Te'egraph.—Press Association. ■ , Dunedin, December 20. An interesting feature of the numerous appeals heard by the Military Service Board in Dunedin to-day was the statement by Dr. Ferguson, dean of the medical school, as to the dearth of doctors. He appealed on, behalf of three medical students. In the course of the evidence, he said there was much unrest among medical students over the finger .of scorn being pointed at them for shirking. Many, of them had been told to remain at home and do their duty by fitting themselves for medical work. He v/as of the opinion, supported by Surgcon-Genteral 'Henderson, that the medical students, ,ii, potential officers, were more, valuable here than in the trenches. The civilian aspect had to be. considered. Over 2fio doctors had gone. Five were wanted monthly, and unless the students remained for qualification the position would be serious. One student was exempted and the other two ca-cs were adjourned for a month for further information.

MEDICALLY UNFIT REJECTS. INVITED TO RE-ENLIST. ' ' Auckland, December 20. An important statement dealing with the recruiting of men for the Expeditionary Force reinforcement* was made to-day by the Minister for Defence. It refers particularly to men who have already enlisted for service, tint have been rejected owing to medical unfitness. "The Defence Department would be glad," said the Minister, "if men in the first division who have in the pfst volunteered for the Expeditionary Force and have been passed as medically unfit, would volunteer for service again. All who so volunteer will have to attejt, and they will be examined by the Medical Board, and, if passed by this Board as medically unfit, their names will not be included in the ballot, but will be placed upon a reserve list. Some of these men will 'be invited to volunteer for 'home service in training camps. If they could satisfactorily takt up work .which is now being done by some of the stafi' in the camps they might thus let them away for service. Those who are passed by the Medical Board "its fit for service would be invited to join one or ether of the next two reinforcements. It has been found necessary to adopt this practice in order to relieve the First Division reserve of a considerable number of names of those whe are medically unlit, and who have previously volunteered. It has'ajso become specially necessary because of the fact that in some districts the volunteer principle hits prevailed entirely, and in others varying numbers have bad to be ballotted. for where ballots have had to be imposed. In'a word, the practice is adopted in' order, to some extent at any rate, to clear the rolls and to avoid unnecessary trouble in regard to the ballot. This invitation to men who have already enlisted, but have not heen accepted on account of medical'unfitness, is offered, to the No. 1 group first," added Mr. Alien. "The idea is to extend the prin- • ciple as the Department is in a position to do so. I hope that all, recruiting committees and patriotic societies in No. 1 group will assist to the best of their ability in inducing these men to come forward and enlist at once."