THURSDAY, MAY 17th., 1917. TREATMENT OF SOLDIEES.

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1917, Page 2

THURSDAY, MAY 17th., 1917. TREATMENT OF SOLDIEES.

THERE can be no doubt that there is something seriously wrong with the treatment of certain men who are sent into camp and who break down while in training. .Tht Otago Patriotic Association has more than once referred to the matter, and passed the following motion at its meeting this week:— "That this Association desires to express its opinion that reservists who have volunteered or been called up, and' having passed a medical examination, have subsequently broken down in their training or been rejected at a subsequent medical examination, ought to be provided for by the Government on some fair basis of regular allowances until their health has been restored, and regular, employment secured by them. ' ' We think that the motion cannot be called unfair, and it is the Government's solemn duty to stand by these men, as it is to stand by the men who return from the front. We admit that the handling of many thousands of men is no light task, but there should be sufficient organisation to allow of no man being called upon to suffer through no fault of his own. There is an enormous amount of suffering and sadness caused by the actual fighting, without any addition due to want of thought and management. We. are decidedly in favour of every • fit man called in the ballot being made to go to the front, and we have not the least desire to help the shirker to escape his duty, but we- are emphatically against the sending into camp of men who are not thoroughly fit, and then, when they break down, leaving them stranded to get on as best they may. Such action is scandalous, and we feel sure is due to carelessness and over-zealousness rather than to intention. A man drawn in the ballot may be unfit — he cannot help that — but the medical boards have no right to send him into camp, if the defect is one that can be detected, on the chance that he will "scrape" through. Of course, it has to be admitted that there are men, who break down in training from causes which could not. possibly be known to the medical boards. These "men deserve every consideration. The Military Service Act says that a reservist automatically becomes a soldier twenty-four hours after the gazetting of his name. If so, he is surely entitled to a soldier's allowances in the event o fhis breaking down in camp. We know that some fit men endeavour to evade service by "bluffing" the doctors, but that should not bo a difficult matter to detect. The doctors in our opinion are not entitled to pass any man because they think he is "bluffing." Their duty is to prove i' whether or not the man is sound, and lit would be a very clever "bluffer" indeed, who could survive the numerous methods which are open to doctors to use. In any case the Act provides jfor drastic penalties for those guilty |of making incorrect statements to the medical officers. Let those penalties be inflicted a few times and the "bluffer" will soon cease to be a source of trouble. A matter which we have been unable to solve is the great diversity of opinion amongst the medical men in cases that are apparently simple to determine. For instance, a man may be short-sighted or may be flat-footed, or may have some other defect a seasy to detect, all of which are capable of accurate test. How comes it then that | men have under the volunary system I been refused time and again for these things, arid are later passed when examined after being drawn in the ballot ? There must be some mistake in ■ a system which permits of such things happening. • It is not so bad if the man passed manages to see his training through and is a successful soldier, but when he is unfortunate enough to arrive in camp and is then thrown out, with his position gone, or his farm sold or his business disposed of, and has to "shift" for himself— then, to use the old -phrase, ' 'there 's something rotten in the state of Denmark," and it is high time that that something was put right. The press throughout the country has no desire to hinder the Government, and it has done very good work in urging men to do their duty, in looking after patriotic funds of various sorts, and in many other [ways, but the press, we believe, is in sympathy with the- action of the Otago Association, which consists .of. n\en who are no,t guilty of "wild-cat" assertions. The Government must act

i in this matter and act speedily, in the interests^ of the whole country. Lack of systematic organisation seems to be a great weakness with all New Zealand ' Cabinets and Ministers, and bungling seems to be inevitable in all their great undertakings. It is bad enough where finance only is concerned, but it is worse than scandalous when. life and a man's dependent's are involved. We would suggest that a I definite standard of medical test be I arranged at once by Sufgeon-General .Henderson and his associate doctors, and that standard ; be rigidly applied. Provision should also be made immediately, for the men who break down while undergoing training, and they should at least be put on the same plane as the soldier who receives his discharge a,f ter service, and should be entitled to pensions until they, have regained their work or secured some | other employment by which they can earn a livelihood. If the taxation of the country is inadequate to meet the cases of these men, (and we admit that even with the very best of medr ical care there will be some who will break down in camp), and the men who return from the front, then it is the Government's duty- to face th,e task and apply the taxes heavily, enough. The people can provide the money and they, are willing to r do so. Those in charge of the State must do. the fair, thing impartially by all the men called up so that hardship and loss, wherever they can be avoided, shall nofc^be permitted. Strong resolute action is demanded,' and the people will see to it tha'f it is taken.

A Territorial and Cadet parade will be held in uniform to-day to attend 1 the funeral of the late- Allen Haig, an Indian Mutiny and Maori War veteran. The parade will assemble at 1.30 p.m. at the Drill Shed. A very exciting sawing contest took place at the Town Hall. Kumara on Tuesday at noon, between three local sports, viz., M. McMahon. A Vlach and P. McDonald. The result was A. Valach 1, P. McDonald 2, H. McMahon ,The winner's time was 50 seconds;

This evening at 7.30 o'clock in the Greymouth District • High School, Dr. Eleanor Baker will give to parents and others interested an address on "The Health arid Care of Children." The Citizens' Band wishes to remind its friends that the usual euchre tournament and dance wiU be held tonight at the Druids' Hall. The prizes for successful players are good, while Miss Watson's orchestra ' will provide the music for the dances. A large attendance is expected. The quantity of grain carried on the Southland railways last week was 3373 sacks, compared with 46,493 sacks for the corresponding week of last year. The total quantity carried this season to date is 151,928 sacks, compered with 374,349 sacks for the corresponding period of last year.

Fro.m the remarks made by several speakers at last nig-ht's meeting- of the Citizen?' Leag-ue it was quite evident that there is abundant proof that che community and town of Greymouth have been greatly elevated in the opinion of the whole of the Dominion by the resiults of the recent municipal election. In reference to inquiries as to whether retail prices of butter recently fixed by the Board of Trade, namely Is 7d per lb for May and Is 8d for June, July and August, could be increased by extra charges for booking orders and delivery, the Board of Trade torday decided that prices must be the maximum and no additional charges could be added. A small sensation was created at the saleyards at Waihua, North Auckland, the other, day, when a young lady equipped with all the requisite of a drover — stockwhip, dogs, efc. — drove a mob of fifty bullocks from the yards. The lady drover handled the mob of cattle in as an experienced and confident a fashion as the most seasoned male cattle drover. A. peculiar deadlock arose in the Supreme Court, Dunedin. The Eegistrar proceeded to call the jury to hoar a charge against a young man named Sliiel, and in consequence of frequent cliallengings the panel gave out, and jurors were not available. Under the circumstances the doors of the court were locked/ and those in authority proceeded to fill the vacant seats in the jury box from those who had been captured. At last night's meeting- of the Citizens' League, all those who spoke were most eulogistic in their references to the wonderfud loyalty shown by >the Greymouth municipal electors who voted the Patriotic Ticket. That the electors should have buried their small difficulties for the big-g-er issues at stake, was the best thanks that could be shown to those who laboured and it also showed that the right spirit is still .abroad, when the occasion calls for action. "I have . the pleasure in recordingthat the number of fire calls during the last twelve months has been well below the average, only two." stated the Superintendent of the Hokitika Fire Birig-ade at the annual meeting- on Tuesday nig-ht. "This reflects credit on the inhabitants of Hokitika for the great care they must have taken to obtain this result. I will take this opportunity of congratulating- you on your <rood work in extinguishing the two fires. Both looked ugly at first but the rapid and intelligent work I of the brigade was successful in confining the outbreaks to the buildings in wh,ich they originated, with, in one case, small loss."

"That 'man must "work and woman must weep, ' is no -longer true, ' ' said the Eev. A. B. Chappell, registrar of the Auckland University, in the course of a lecture at Onehunga a few evenings ago, in speaking of th c changing relations of the sexes to labour. "The war has put pens, levers and hammers in the hands of women and they are eagerly claiming the. rights of partnership with men in toil as in trouble. After the war there must be a readjustment, but the old limits upon women's activities will never return. New views of home and home life must be taken, and there will arise a worthier comradeship of the sexes. ' '

The, Primate, Bishop fNevi-11, at the close of his sermon at St. Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin, on Sunday, referred to the fact that h e had tha day reached his eightieth year, and that he had been for forty-six years bishop ot the /diocese. He spoke feelingly and affectionately to th e congregation, and sai d he sometimes • thought he ought to resign his episcopate in favour of a younger and more vigorous man. Doubtless he had not been free irom. faults and failings, from errors or omission and commission, during his iSJfI " eßid + t nce in thei r mite, and he asked for the prayers of the people of his diocese for the. necessarily short S /* a . c . tivo church life that rejnained for him. . j

The case of a man who had been retained in one of the training- campg for nearly a year as a member of a band, was mentioned before the Third Wellington Military Service Board states the "Dominion" Thi fidta? had been granted leave eventually in order tha the mig-ht resume his Twork as *' W klufeina n in a pig-kill W establishment, and the emnloyer was asked for an extension , of the lea^e--2?" s»^ ' W * sk «led worker in. an 3 K^ nt -""toStry; said the employer, *£JS! 'T 4 °u lnff better service in overalls, than he appeared to have been doin ff in. uniform. The makl"t t camp musit: •SWM. be underraicerx by men who were not required m, industry. The military representative had. nothing- to sa y against thisj view of the position, am- the boarhi decided to recommend that the bandfl man should be granted extended ldiH without pay. ' J^^M

Wool valued at £13,659 was exported from Gisborne for the week ended May 1. . ' • • ■'■ A Chinese named Wong Wan was fined £50 in Wellington for landing in New Zealand without paying the poll tax. At the meeting of the Greymouth Citizens' League held last eveningone speaker gave a practical example of the good effects which the recent municipal elections have had on the town. Busines firms throughout the Dominion have shown in a decidedly practical manner, that the result. of the local elections has been viewed by them with the greatest s&tisf action as a conclusive proof that the element which makes for' solidity is greatly in the majority of the community. Another advance was made recently in' the price of rabbits in Otago, which are now selling at 8d per pair on the fence. Babbits are reported to be swarming in the back country of the province and trappers are reaping a '•good harvest." One trapper informed an "Alexandra Herald" representative that his cheque for the month was in the vicinity of £50.

"In future," stated the Hon. G. "W. Russell (Minister of Marine) "no cable for outsiae the Dominion affecting shipping or cargo, in the way of insurance or in any other respect, will be allowed to be dispatched unless it has been first censored by an officer of the Marine Department. Wherever such cables ar c . sent from they will be forwarded Wellington, in. order to .be coded before being dispatched to their destination. This step is render, ed necessary by the war." Crowds will visit W. McKay and Son's Jubilee Sale. This is our. Jubilee Year— so years' successful trading on the West Coast. To make it an event we are running a huge sale. Bargains in Tray Cloths and Runners: Calicoes and Sheetings, Blankets and Rugs, Carpets and Linoleums: Men's (Shirts and Pants/ Ties and Braces. Ladies' Jackets and Skirts, etc. We want every lady to visit this sale. W. McKay and Son, Leading Drapers, Greymouth and Hokitika.— Advt