SOLDIER PATIENTS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17401, 11 March 1922, Page 3

SOLDIER PATIENTS.

DISCONTINUING GIFTS. Soldier patients in hospital are likely to feel the pinch of the economy campaign, the executive of the New Zealand branch of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John having decided to discontinue the issue of free gifts of clothing and to reduce the issue of tobacco. 'The time has arrived," said the chairman (the Hon. Dt. W. E. Collins C.M.G.), at Wednesday's meeting held at Wellington, "when we shoula discontinue supplies of some of the free ajfts to the men in hospitals." Diminishing funds made it necessary for such action to be taken. The idea was to cut out clothing and all comforts. A member; Does mean tobacco? —Yes; but we had better first cut out the clothing, such as pyjamas, etc. During discussion on the master, Mr L. O. H. Tripp suggested that the cost of entertainment for. the soldiers required to be fully considered. It was also stated that the cost of showing films to soldier patients was enormous, and in this connexion reference was made to the expenditure by the Y.M.C.A. Duplication of the supply of comforts should be .avoided. Now that the Hanmer Hospital was controlled by the civil authorities, the society was not going to supply any more clothing. Men, when discharged, could obtain an order on the society, for clothing. Finally it was decided to recommend to the centres that in future supplies of clothing to soldiers in hospital be discontinued, and that the issue of tobacco be limited to one tin per week.