FIT, YET UNFIT

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1917, Page 4

FIT, YET UNFIT

“BREAKDOWNS” 1N CAMP

WEST COAST CASKS

At yesterday's meeting of tin; Urey Pal riolu: A asocial ion the question of men passed as ill for foreign service hv Uie medical examiners and subsequemly tound to be ipdle unlit, even lor camp naming, was dismissed. Many men, it was asserted. had been sent to camp who, after bejnjr there a short lime, had absolutely broken down and had been sent Lack until to resume their former occupations, vet tiiev were thrown upon their own resources and without having teceived any consideration for their future from the Defence Department. Mr 1). McKay read it letter Ife had received front a West Coaster who • had .been discharged from camp and wag. now at a sanatorium. After leaving camp he had endeavoured to t'obow his former occupation, but in this he had failed, and on subsequently consulting Dr 1 iltu kvuore had been told that his complaint had been left go rather long and should 1 ate been attended to earlier. 'I lie Detente Department bad refused to recognise any iesponsihilitv in this ease. 'I he ex-soldier had declared he had not the affection oil going into camp, but in this the Defence autliori.ies appeared to difter, and had asserted that the, man must have had the maladv when he went into camp. l.*,> lliat 'as it may. continued Mr McKay, the man on going to camp had been passed its medical! v lit by the (government oHieers. and after being only a few weeks in camp had been discharged, and the (lovernmei.t now repudiated all responsibility. Iwo other such cases of men from tins, district were in the speaker’s mind, and he urged that thev be brought under the notice oi the (lovci liicent. The, Mayor rail'd that the responsibility w;is the I lovci'nmenl's, and not that ol the Patriotic Association. A ease ol which he, had recently been informed was that of ;t man who .had been passed as fit. by Ibe .Medmill J’oard and who had only been in camp a short time, when be diid from heart disease. 'J he (tovcrnmciit, however, were making allowances in t.ome east's; other eases they did not recognise in any shape or form. Mr McKay pointed out that the men were examined by the Defence authorities before being sent into camp, and if they broke down afterwards then the (doveinment should accept i esponsihility, as did insurance companies. Mr Wickes moved that the par! nnlar case referred to hv Mr McKnv be brought, under the notice of file 1 tovcrnmelif with :i strong iecomiiiend.ition irom the Association that (lie granting of a pension he given favourable consideration. If a man in camp met with an accident, say from shell practice, the (tovernineiit would no:, hesitate to give a pension. Mr Kettle said there were a lot of men going foiward who would never see the front and it was not right that they should become a charge on the public the (Government should do its duly to those who broke down in health. Mr Pateheti instanced a ease in winch a discharged West Coaster. who had broken down in health while undergoing training jn a ’North. Island camp, had been hack for some time, bid had not applied for relief, although, stnel.lv- speaking, be was entitled to and had needed compensation. Mr Wiekes’ motion was earned, and a grant of llfi made to the ox soldier referred to hv Mr MeKav.