NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 May 1942, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

CHRISTCHURCH, May 21. To be brought into Christchurch from places as far afield as Methven, which is 58 miles from Christchurch, for their army medical examination, and then told to come back next week because the doctors had ceased work at mid-day, was the experience of five country workers on Wednesday. Only seven men remained to be attended to when they were told that they could not be examined that day. I'he men told their story while waiting at the Post Office to cash their official vouchers for pay and travelling expenses. They said that, when the Medical Board ceased work for the day, seven men remained to be examined, of these seven, five were from the country and only two were from the city. They were rather amused at their experience, though it meant their losing a day’s work. When the statement made by the recruits was referred to Army officers at Area Records Office, they said that was a matter for the Health Department, which arranged the sittings of the Medical Boards, through the Regional Deputy (Dr. C. T. Hand Newton). The Army’s duty was to arrange for men to attend the sittings of the Boards.

“If more men are called up for medical examination than the doctors can examine in the time, the examination of some must be postponed to another occasion,” said Dr. Hand Newton, when invited to comment on the statements made.