SOLDIER PATIENTS AT HANMER.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18672, 22 April 1926, Page 11

SOLDIER PATIENTS AT HANMER.

TO THE FDITOB Of "THE TRESS." Sir, —Kindly allow mo a little 'pace in your columns to reply to MY Thomson, ot Auckland. In every instance his statements a'ppoaring in your edition of yesterday, the 19th inst., are perfectly true. Tho Department cannot refute them, and prefer to remain silent in tho matter. It is certainly a grave injustice, and we service patients know it only too well, as we aro marked men as soon as we arrive, .1 birr capital S being put in iront of each of our names. The civilians receive all privileges and please themselves as far as the regulations go. They and the staff occupy tho billiard tables every night and can take tho bonis from tho hospital over to the hoarding-houses whenever ti'ey like. The billiard tables arc in a dilapidated condition, and when the Canterbury Jockey Club ami tho Metropolitan Trotting Club gave them lor the soldiers they wero in a beautiful condition. Of course. 1110 hospital was given in June, 1916, for tho returned soldiers of \ew Zealand, but since then tho Public Health Department has taken control, and we aro in a, minority now by about ten civilians to one soldier. We soldiers can show wounds: there are many instances where we soldiers can produce direct evidence of organic complaints, but we are told it is only imaginitis. Many Diggers lenvo tho place owing to these' insults, and wouldn't come back again, only there is no alternative sometimes, "as tho Pensions Department only waits for that, and then cuts out. or reduces a man's pension. I could say a good deal more, but I have n wifo and children, and a measly pension which may be cut out. and "would certainly be penalised. However, 1 and many others have been penalised ever since we returned.—Yours, etc.. DIGGER PATIENT. Hanmer, April 20th.