High Percentage Of Unfit Reservists

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1941, Page 3

High Percentage Of Unfit Reservists

Results of medical examination of military recruits in Northland have shown a large percentage of men temporarily unfit for service. This is especially noticeable among Maori recruits. Nearly HaJf Unfit Of the 175 men examined at various Northland centres, only 90 were passed as fit for service, while 85 were either temporarily or permanently unfit. At these boards. 74 of the men examined were Maoris, and only 21 passed as fit and 53 were classed temporarily or permanently unfit. The pakehas examined showed a much higher percentage of fit men, as of the 101 men before the boards, 69 were fit and only 32 temporarily or permanently unfit. Details At Each Centre Details of the various board sittings are: At Helensville. one Maori, volunteer was found temporarily unfit for overseas service and one fit, and three temporarily unfit for territorial service. Five pakehas were passed fit for territorial service and three temporarily unfit, while nine were fit and four temporarily unfit for overseas service. For territorial service, 20 pakehas were passed fit at Henderson. and seven temporarily unfit, and 14 classed fit for overseas service and 10 temporarily unfit. All Fit At Silverdaie Of the six pakehas examined at Silverdaie, three were classed fit for overseas and three for territorial service. At Maungaturoto, two Maori territorials were classed as temporarily unfit, four pakehas were passed as fit for territorial service, one temporarily unfit and one fit for overseas service, and one temporarily unfit, 75 Per Cent. Maoris Unfit Of the Maoris examined at Kawakawa, only 13 were passed fit for territorial service, 37 were classed as temporarily unfit and six perman ently unfit, while for overseas service. one Maori was fit, one temporarily unfit and one permanently unfit. Of the pakeha recruits for oversea? service, three were found to be fit, four were temporarily unfit and two permanently unfit. At Dargaville, one Maori was passed fit for overseas service, five were fit for territorial service and two permanently unfit, while seven pakehas were passed fit for overseas service.