RETURNED SOLDIERS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 141, 14 June 1917, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS

SUGGESTIED COLLEGE. Speaking ai the annual meeting of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association yesterday afternoon Major Lusk alluded to the question of providing for the returned soldiers. A number of schemes, he said, had been proposed for settling the soldiers on the land. One had been proposed by the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson), and another on practically similar lines by the Farmers' Union. Out of these and others put forward it should be possible to evolve one which -would be of practical value as a whole. There was one point upon which they were all agreed, that "was the great duty they owed to the men who had returned. Many of these were physically disabled, and would be for some considerable time. It wa3 imperative that these men should receive attention. In the south they had devoted considerable study to this particular question, and a special college had been suggested for returned disabled soldiers, where they could at once be taken in charge and comfortably housed. They could be put under the care of experts, not only in regard to medical treatment, but also in regard to electrical treatment and massage, so that every means humanly possible would be used to*render them fit again for work. In addition to this they could be instructed in various trades so that they would ultimately be in a position to support themselves. Farming should be included in the instruction, while the men should to some extent be under a certain amount of discipline. He stated, in conclusion, that one institution in the North Island and one in the South Island should meet the requirements of the proposed scheme, to which a certain proportion of the patriotic funds might be devoted. A request from the Workers' Educational Association for a grant towards ite funds was yesterday considered favourably by the Auckland Industrial Association. The amount decided on was £5.