THE STANDARD OF FITNESS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14495, 5 January 1918, Page 4

THE STANDARD OF FITNESS.

1 AND SECONH DIVISION MEN. Some complaint has reached the Direc-tor-General of Medical .Services that Second Division reservists have been passed as fit when as a matter of fact they have very little chance of standing the strain of camp life. It has been urged on behalf of .these men that they, should not be required to break up their homes and enter camp unless there is a reasonable probability of their getting away with the Expeditionary Force. In other words, the examination of Second Division reservists should be particularly strict. ' General Henderson stated, m this connection, {hat there had been no relaxation of requirements or lowering of the Standard. The medical boards -were composed of highly qualified men, many of them with war experiences t'd aid them, but it was not possible to avoid' a siriall percentage of rejections from the camps m the course of training. .. Weaknesses sometimes did not reveal themselves until, training had begun, while conversely, weaknesses sometimes disappeared under training. He was prepared to investigate any specifio cases of slackness on the part of, the medical boards. , It may be mentioned, m this connection, that the Defence authorities are constantly being blamed for. rejecting apparently fit men. Men who look strong and healthy are drawn m the, ballot, and when they do not enter camp there are whispers about "pull" and "favorit-. ism." If the doctors were required to reject every man who, m their opinion, might possibly break down m training, there would be many more of theso whispers. -As a matter of fact ; a big 'proportion of the recruits whose cases micht be regarded as doubtful, improve under training and "become thoroughly fit. ■" f; 'mtmmmmmmtmmmmmmmmmm'