STRINGE PROCEDURE

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 155, 3 July 1917, Page 2

STRINGE PROCEDURE

DISOKARGfIED SOLDIERS RE-

CALLED

AFTER 2* YEARS SERVICE

What seems to be a case of extraoidinaiy procedure on the part of the IVfeaoe authorities, involving ha-rd-filiiD and injustice, has "been brought Tinder our notice (states the Dominion of last). Eight return*d soldiers at least are affected, five of wlioiu Tiave seen some 2J years' servic? in GallipoTi and France. All liave heen v/oiinded once, some of them twice. They returned to New Zealand medically unfit on May 12, nnd, ..It'/ is' stated, on tJune 9, were formally discharged from the British Army.. Under such conditions they "•msied themselves in getting together a civilian "kit," and some of ~them feotirer'. situations, and :iH were settling down to civilian life once more Tvhen on J U ne M each of the men ippeno.a a copy of the following telegam---

lake notice, the Adjutanttrenera;! has ruled your discharge be cancelled. You are to report at this office on Tuesday, nineteenth June, for Medieaf Board. On presentation of this tele»ra.m t«i ; .neaiest Defence Office you will receive nl?. necessary warrants for travelling: Reeo-ds.. The men duly reported to the Medi<eal Board, but instead of T)eino- examined to ensure that they were fit for service''the board ordered them rll to ."repeat at Trentham Cnini> pending the- arrival of their medie'ai capers from England. They went to Ireatharn on Thursday of last week, and on xuesdny last were sent on to Teitherston, and there posted to the Iwenty-eicrhth 'Reinforcements the members of which left camp on Fri m, ™ th("ir tm aavp' final leave ' ,^!ie?e mon complain that in the pl. ? ce they served their country *"r>OTably and well in GallipoTi and 1' ranee,, and were sent home by the medical authorities in England as nnht foi further service. _On an:iv."l Jiej^ ijhey were hoiiorablv discharged and it once made arrangements to resu-na civil life '(which, has cost none .«f them less than.£lo). Then sudaenjy they have been recalled- appear- bpf ore a Medical Board, which <x<>«\« not e-xamine. them; are sent on •to ; rrentham, and then,. instead of being declined there to await theirpapers from. Home, they are posted io tl-o-.'it'vf reinforcements leavnif the country. Naturally they fool that they- have been harshly dealt ■vith,. and :xrc tm-xiou-s to have th-nr cpa'ition inquired into. JThe facts as set forth above were under the notice of Sir Va. meR Allen last evening. The Minuter -aid th.it he knew nr.f-.hincr o f the circumstances, and could there--tore make no statemont on the matter. ■ Be took a note of the fact* however, an d promised to have in! <finries made.;

Although not literally »'twixt the and the desp sea." a motorist on th- Ka.koura road lash week was near; enough to be excused for ifading niraself as a "whole hopgnr '' Hie wheels of his car skidded, and he was m ; danger of ranking the n J onainnance of the -deep blue." However, by prompt action, he was nhU to steer the automobile into a rock on-the other side of tho' v ou i where its progress was effectived rh^ked,. Though not a total wr^k, /the repair bill to the motor whi-h was towed back to Kaiko.m,, w i]\ 1>« . substantial one , Neither the frfTr!" nor tho t' wo o^^ occupants i«x i-txe- cur sustained any injux-y.