DISABLED WHILE TRAINING.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15486, 13 January 1916, Page 10

DISABLED WHILE TRAINING.

SOLDIER DISCHARGED. ' What appeared to be rather hard treatment handed out by the Defence Department to a member of-tho-Rein-' forcement.s at Trentham was referred to bv Mr A. H. Turnbull at the meeting of tlie Canterbury Patriotic Committee ,7'Cfiterday afternoon.

Mr I urnbull ( stated that the man in question, who was an Oxford resident, had dislocated his knee while training at Trentham. He was taken to .the Palmerston North Hospital, and told that it wouldj bo some months before he would be right again. "Within a day or two of his admission to the hospital a messenger from the Defence Department handed him his discharge, and left him. "That," declared Mr Turnbull, "is not the way to treat our men. If that man is seriously injured. 110 should be kept on thf strength until lie is convalescent. It is a dastardly shame to treat a man who volunteered for service in that way. lam quite satisfied that circumstanccs like that militate a great deal against enlistment." Mr Turnbull then moved: "That the attentibn of the; Minister of Defence •he called to the circumstances under which the man in question was discharged, and which, jf reported correctly .'to this committee,. evidences lack of proper consideration and a due recognition of their responsibilities by- the Defence authorities." ; - *

The' motion was seconded by Mr Maxwell.

Mr Dougall suggested that a written statement should be procured from the man in question. , _ ■ . The motion "was carried, and it was decided to adopt Mr, Dougall's suggestion. . • ■