A SOLDIER'S DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1918, Page 5

A SOLDIER'S DEATH.

i MINISTER'S EXPLANATION, ? Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Nighi ': In the House of Representatives \ night, the Minister for Defence made a Statement concerning the case of the late Private Roy Clemens, about whom an open letter was addressed to each member of Parliament. After reviewing the circumstances under which Private" Clemens met his death by influenza at Hanmer, the Minister proceeded to say that the evidence does not support Mr. Clemens' statement that the orderly who accompanied his son was nursing indu-' enza patients up till- within two hours of taking charge of the soldier. The sergeant orderly states that he had not ■'■ nursed any influenza patients for 14 days prior to taking charge of deceased. A= a matter of fact,'the orderly himself contracted influenza on the journey. It. seems clear that if the late Private C!e- ; mens had not, unfortunately, contru'-(<v! influenza, he would have been nlh-<> i»day. As is well known, sonic <,f :'•* strongest men in New Zealand havr -;:■ • cumbed to this malady, and the Mi. «,.l. dier, owing to his disability from poisoning, possessed little power 1.1 rc sistaace.