THE SICK AND WOUNDED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12243, 2 July 1900, Page 4

THE SICK AND WOUNDED.

The statements of Mr Burdetfc-Ccatts eonearning the treatment of the sick and wounded in the field in South Africa have very naturally created a good deal of alarm, and although Mr Treves declares that the assertions are incredible, the relatives of our. men at- the front will hardly bo saitis&sd. This rooming again we learn that Mr Juitan Ralph supports the charges, and in his “War Notes from London” our correspondent quotes the words of another wen-known writer on the same subject. Mr Donohue speaks of “ fifty gallant fellows lying on the open veldt in the death throes of enteric with only a blanket apiece to protect them from the rain and piercing cold.” He gives aho a still more terrible example of the deadly work of the “ red tape and seaiifgwax departments.” It is passing strange that although Mr Donohoe’s revelations ware published six weeks ago, there is still occasion for the criticism of Mr Burdett-CcuJfcte and Mr Julian Ralph. The Imperial authorities should surely not wait for a popular agitation to drive them, to action. There have been many evidences, however, that wounded and sack men are in danger of bpng neglected!, and only the other day several invalided Australians arrived homo in a destitute condition. Under these circumstances wo are glad to find the New* Zealand Government taking action with regard to onr own men at the front. They went to South Africa prepared, cf course, to share in the dangers and hardships of the campaign, but it is surely ihe duty of the Imperial authorities to see that all the sick and wounded are treated' with reasonable care. The Government has cabled instructions to its agent at Gape Town to attend to the wants of New Zealanders, and/ now Mr Charles Loirisson, chairman of the local Patriotic Fund, conies forward with the timely suggestion that the cost of providing the comforts should be borne by the. Funds of th© colony. We hope that the proposal will be carried out at once. The, Government has made itself responsible fox the money spent, but the sum is a propet charge on the Patriotic Funds. If the local committee will authorise the contribution of, eay, £2OO at once, the committees in other centres will nob be slow to fellow its example.