MILITARY HOSPITALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1919, Page 7

MILITARY HOSPITALS.

'/ 'COMPLAINTS AGAINST *L FEATHERSTON. ': •■- ,: DEFECTS TO BE RECTIFIED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, July 9. . The Bev. Mr. Burgin and Mr. J. Curtaine at the request of the A.S.E.S. investigated the complaints about the, treatment of patients at Featherston Military Hospital. Mr. Eurgiri last night reported to a meeting of the Auckland branch. H# said that they had found that the complaints made were entirely justified. The delegation was shocked at many things it discovered. It had not believed it possible that such conditions could exist at a hospital where victims of the war are treated. They spent June 29 and 30 in the camp hospital where there were about 100 tubercular cases, and 40 patients with heart trouble. There, was a general shortage of crockery and , all the sick men were using badly broken and Aippedl enamel ware. The sheets and tea towels were badly stained, and there was not any proper provision of clothing. The old wooden hutments used as wards were comfortless. There was also a shortage o'f firewood. The root of the.trouble was the lack of coordination between the Ordnance and the Medical Departments; and th» hospital orderlies were not the right type of men. After their visit they saw General Richardson who gave them the assurance that these defets would; he rectified immediately.

GREAT INDIGNATION AROUSED. Auckland, July 9. j The revelations in regard to the treatmen of consumptives at Featherston Hospital have aroused great indignation locally. The Red Cros? Society is sending goods and ha* telegraphed to the Ordnance Department urging it to supply other requisites. The proceeds of .sales .of -sports programmes during the peace celebrations will also be devoted to the benefit of. the patients. "We all felt very saddened when we read the report of Jhe, way in which'' our men have been treated in hospital,'" remarked the, deputy-mayor (Mr. A. J. Entrican). "What is -the .Returned Soldiers'. Association going to do about the report?" was the question put to the secretary of that organisation this morning. "We are going to do. quite a lot about it J can assure you," grimly replied the- secretary., "The report shows that the way the men have been treated there is absolutely disgraceful." He added: "It is no use people rughing to make excuses. Every Member of Parliament Rftd member of the Cabinet is responsible a* well as the authorities directly concerned, for they should have known what was taking place. The report is all the more impressive coming at the time when people are preparing for peace rejoicings. If our men had been treated in the German prison camps in thii it»ay everybody would have been crying out about it."