WAR AMPUTEES

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 3, 28 September 1944, Page 4

WAR AMPUTEES

Conference Opens In Wellington “We must always keep in mind that in the final analysis, it is the man who rehabilitates himself,” said the Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr. y §kinner, in opening the annual conference of the New Zealand War Amputees’ Association in Wellington yesterday. “We can only make the facilities available and the rest is up to him,” he added. Generally speaking, returned men had been wonderfully successful in the trade training centres, many with no previous experience in. the building trade having come out of the centres and established themselves successfully as contractors. The occupational survey at present being undertaken by the rehabilitation authorities had shown that disabled men could do some jobs previously thought suitable only for the completely fit and every possible avenue of employment for disabled men was being explored, “I consider that no matter what their disability, sound economic jobs can be found for these men,” the Minister added. “I am not very happy with the service given amputees in this country. We have already sent Colonel Kennedy Elliott, considered the best orthopaedic surgeon in New Zealand, to Roehampton, England, where he will remain as long as he considers necessary, possibly six to eight months, to study the latest methods in the fitting of artificial limbs. He will return via America and should be able to gain information about the work being done in the United States. Wc are trying to arrange for a fitter from England to be sent to New Zealand to train our own fitters, but this may not be possible as the present service given amputees in the United Kingdom is even further behind than in this country.’ Training In England. It had been decided to send men to England to be trained in the fitting of artificial limbs. ... There had been a great deal of criticism about the service given to amputees, some thinking that the fitting should be the responsibility of hospital boards rather than of the Disabled Servicemen’s Reestablishment League, as at present. The liospital boards in the four main centres had signified their willingness to. make space available in their orthopaedic departments for fittings to be done. Orthopaedic surgeons from each of the four main centres would be chosen to take charge of all orthopaedic work, and they would work under Colonel Elliott who would travel about where necessary. Delegates and visitors were welcomed by the Dominion president, Mr. F. C. Allerby, and short addresses were given by the Director of Rehabilitation, Mr. F Baker, the vice-president of the N.Z.R.S.A., Mr. C. O. Bell, the chairman of the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establish-ment League, Mr. W. G. Harrison, and the 'president of the Wellington R.S.A., Mr. W. H. Cunningham.