RETURNED TROOPERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1902, Page 2

RETURNED TROOPERS.

TREATMENT OF A PARALYTIC,

(Special to the "Star.")

GHEISTCHURCH, this day,

A correspondent "writes to the "Times" complaining that a tropper named Davidson, who returned from Africa paralysed, has not received proper treatment from the Government. The editor of the "Times" instructed the Wellington representative of that paper to make enquiries, with the result that the latter declares the assertions "absolutely without foundation." The trooper received £30 on his return to New Zealand, and when his account with the Imperial Government came to hand, it was discovered that he was in debit, owing to an advance. After that nothing could be paid on the Imperial account without the Imperial sanction, but still later tabout February 8) another Imperial account, a corrected one, arrived, which showed Davidson in credit a few pounds. Immediately the officer commanding the trooper's district was instructed to pay him the sum of £5, pending a final settlement of the Imperial account. Further, Davidson received besides the above sum sick pay for four months, and is still in receipt of sick pay. He received £10 from the private fund collected for distressed soldiers by Lady Douglas. It has been arranged that if he is not better at the end of this £10 (which he receives by instalments every Monday in addition to sick pay), he is to have another £10 from the same source. The Chairman of the Local Patriotic Fund Committee has paid Davidson's fare to Hanmer, provided him with first-class accommodation at the Sanatorium there, and taken steps to represent the case to the Imperial authorities, who are of course responsible for his permanent relief In the meantime the Patriotic Fund' Committee, as the Chairman has informed Davidson, is prepared to bear the cost of his maintenance.