SOLDIERS' COMPLAINTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1919, Page 4

SOLDIERS' COMPLAINTS.

TRAVELLING MEDICAL BOARD.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER

By Telegraph.—Press Association, Dunedin, Last Night At Sir James Allen's request, a depu* tation from the Returned Soldiers' Ash soeiation waited on him regarding complaints of treatment at the hands' of the travelling Medical Board. Sir James Allen asked for specific cases, but tb« deputation said they would prefer to hold the matter over until after a public meeting to-night. Sir James Allen said that so far as he knew there had not been a single complaint outside of Dunedin regarding the travelling Medical Board.

Dunedin, Last Night. At a public meeting to-night, convened by the Returned Soldiers' Association, a motion was carried emphatically pro* testing against the action of the travelling Medical Board discharging men still undergoing medical treatment. , The meeting demanded that the Prima Minister should take action to reinstate under the Defenoe Department all men discharged who were not physically fit to return to their former occupations, or to enter on training to fit them for a new vocation suitable to their disabilities, and that in future when men are examined for discharge by the travelling Medical Board, the evidence of the cal officer attending the cases should be taken before a decision is arrived at. QUESTION OP MEDICAL FITNESS. FURTHER ENQUIRY MADE. Dunedin, Last Night. This afternoon, Sir James Allen stated he had seen the officer commanding the district and the Assistant Director of Medical Services on the question of the discharge of unfit men.

The former stated he had asked the Returned Soldiers' Association for specific instances of men considered unfit for discharge, but no reply was received. Ho took steps to ascertain from other sources specific cases, but only one soldier had reported. By other means eight more names had been secured. Some of these cases apparently d&erved reconsideration, and if necessary lie would ask for a suspension of their discharges P ? n « ng in ? uir y *>y the Director-General of Medical Services, but as the men had 28 days' leave before discharge, the tJir-ector-Goneral of Medical Services would come to Dunedin and inquire. The refusal of the Returned Soldim* Association to supply specific caws, cx* cept in one instance, placed the Depart* ment and the Minister at a disadvantage. The discharge alluded to was discharge from the forces, and not from hospital or from medical treatment. If the *oldier still required medical treatment hj« would get this whether he belonged to'th* forces or not. Sir James Allen has been advised b? telegram that the Director-General has given instructions for certain decision* ot the board to be revised. SANATORIUM AT WAIPURURAU, COMPLAINTS FROMTHE PATIENTS, m. tit Weilin gton, Last Night. The Wellington Returned Soldiers'' Association to-night considered a report of delegates who visited the Pukeura Sanatorium near Waipukurau, to investigate complaints made by patients. The report expressed the opinion that ereat inconvenience and discomfort to natithfwtr Tf 1 by the °c c «pa«on of ™ i i ng before jt was completed tt, , , d f er ' one of the delegates, sajd there had been a good deal of complaint about the place being only.half furnished when the men went in, and thev were subjected to needless discomforts. H» contended the complaints were wetl founded. There should be more sympathy and less discipline about the

A motion was passed, approving th« delegate g report and regretting that th« the rl u t '/ pkoed P ati "' ts compS nUm bef ° re thß buildin e «'«*