A COMPLAINT

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1940, Page 5

A COMPLAINT

MEDICAL TEST TOO STIFF

!'(Por Press Association—Copyright)

WELLINGTON, July 11

A complaint that the medical test set tor recruits lor the Expeditionary Force was too high was made bv Mr E. L. Cullen (Government, Hawke’s Hay), a returned soldier, speaking in the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives, today. f ■‘There have been many men turned down who are doing a heavy class of work, and are healthy and well,” he said. Mr Cullen said he thought army life in this country and overseas would improve The health of many men who had been turned down. The doctors bad set too high a standard. The country had nothing to be proud about in the number rejected. In the last war, at the conclusion of the conscription ballot), 135,282 men had been recruited and examined, and of these 57.782 had been turned down. \ Referring to .the age for enlistment, Mr Cullen said lie did not know what possessed the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) to alter the age from 20 to 21. There were many men at the age of 20 who could stand up to military training; as well as men of 21. A number of .returned soldiers with very little training, could be put into camp and he established as staff ser-geant-Majors 'for instruction purposes. They were croing out for work to do. Conscription would have to be conscription by selection, he said. He suggested that i a travelling board be set up to interview employer, employee, father and mother, and to go fully into the position of men before they were called up. A hoy might bo the only breadwinner of the home, and there might; he other complications. Ho was ncrt too keen on boards scattered all over the country. One hoard might give decisions differing from those of a hoard.in another part of the country. ,