MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE. GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1900. A NATION'S CARE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6835, 27 October 1900, Page 2

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE. GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1900. A NATION'S CARE.

It seems almost incredible that no provision is made by the Home Government for tho maintenance of soldiers permanently disabled in tho war, and that the only alternative to starvation oE those who are discharged from the army as physically unfit for further servico is the workhouse. Yet that is that stato of affairs at Home and unless legislation is passed to romody such an extraordinary state of affairs, the condition of our disabled soldiers at Home aftor the war will be the scandal of the century. It is estimated that there will be at least three thousand discharged soldiers unfit to earn their living at the close of the war, and it will be a lasting disgrace to the nation if the future care of theso men and their relatives is to be left to charityWhile, of course, there are not likely to be very many similar cases in Now Zealand, it is a remarkable fact that in the Military Pensions Extension Act, which was rushod through tho House of Representatives at an unearthly hour as a measure of urgency, most stages before even it was printed, there is no provision at all for men disabled through sickness, although if they be unfortun ato enough to die, some assistance is given to family. An instance we know of is that of Trooper Hunt, of Gnristchurch, who was severely injured on the first transport from New Zealand, and it is a question whether he will ever be able to do anything towards earning his own living. Yot nothing at all has been done by the Legislature to make provision for that unfortunato man, and while all sorts of solf-glorification has been made by the Premier about his Imperialistic views, one of the men who belonged to the first contingent is to be left to drag out his existence dependent upon charity or the dole tho Government of the day may think lit to pay to him. This is not a proper stato of things, and while there may be some excuse for the inaction of the Home authorities, there can bo nothing but blame for a Government which increases tho emoluments of the political establishment by nearly £14,000 a year, and yet neglects to make adequate provision for those who have sacrificed their health iv the Empire's servico.