T.B. AND CHEST CASES

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 124, 26 May 1920, Page 4

T.B. AND CHEST CASES

NEEDS OF RETURNED SOLDIERS. The questions of reparation and pensions wei'o discussed at a. meeting pi' returning soldiers suffering fvom chest, tuberculosis, and "C.P.D.E. " troubles', which was hold last evening, Mr. A. L. Sievwright, vice-president of the Wellington R.S.A., presiding. Mr. H. J. Aekins, in addressing t): meeting, said that on discharge from sanatoria all patients should receive t full' and supplementary pension for a period of twelve months, and then should be examined by a chsst expert, and his pension should go up or- down, which meant that, if the man is getting better his pension should full; if he is getting worse the" pension should rise. There | were too inanv cases in sanatoria to-daj I that would not he there if they had had ; their pensions adjusted by chest experts \ Tho present system was unsatisfactory as far as T..8. soldiers are concerned, and the. Repatriation Department had no definite policy yet for "T.B.'s." To successfully repatriate the "T. 8." soldier hp must lie his own employer, and- the I whole solution of the difficulty is to place men on the laud. Some were able to work 1000 acres, while others could only work the a era. and each case should bo carefully p»oiie into by a competent man. Each man should have his own acreage, and not be .forced to pay the full rates oi' interest. He should have his acreage free of interest tha- first year, and the . second year should pay 1 per cent, and raise it 1 per cent, each year until at tho end of seven years, say. the man would be fit: his acreage would bo paying, and he would be well able to pay the full interest demanded by the Government. There \va.<s no.co-ordinfition between tho Repatriation Department and the Defence Department. The Defence Denartment did ovorything to get the man well, and then he was handed over to the Repatriation Department to look after. The Department found work for a fow. lint the bulk of the nip.n h-id-,not yet been successfully repatriated, and were still looking fov light work, which was not available, It' the acrease. scheme were arlonted it would repatriate the bulk of "T. 8." soldiovs."

Mr. Awkius added that a. conferenceof "T. 8." soldiers is being held, when a proper scheme of pensions and repatriation will be placed before the Ministers, and if, is honed that this scheme, which has the backing of the most competent chest experts, will be accepted by the Government...

Mr. W. Banham moved: "That four 'T.B. soldiers should bs appointed to the after-care branch of the Repatriation Department to guard the interests of 'T.B. soldiers on discharge from sanatoria, or, failing that, a man of long sanatoria experience) should be appointed at the head of the after-care branch, and this position should be advertised." Mr. F. .T. IT. Pirapi seconded the motion, which was curried unanimously.

The Wollingtovi Esturned Soldicrs'_ Association has arranged a meeting of limbless men to be hold in the club rooms on Friday next at 8 p.m. General Richaidsnn. who has fihvays shown keen sympathy with the limbless,- signified his intention of bring present immediately ho heard that the'iiieeting was to be. held. Important matter concerning nensions.. allowances, and repatriation will be discr.sscd, and the men concerned-are urgently requested to attend.