WHEN THE BOYS RETURN

Nelson Evening Mail, 22 May 1917, Page 5

WHEN THE BOYS RETURN

AN OFFICIAL. STATEMENT.

Tn reply to a New Zealand Tima& reporter who intervewed General Henderson, Director-General of Medical Services, General Henderson said: "I consider that the men who return to New Zealand' are given every In the first instance they are met by a provisional Medical Board consisting of a representative of the Defence Depuirnient and one from the Public Kof.'ili Department. It must be oorne in nii'id that the men have been 'boarded' in the majority of cases at least twice Vc-jcre they left England,- and the Provisional Board is placed in nr the papers referring to each case. These are perused and the.; members make themselves acquainted with the condition of each man when he left England. The men are then subjected to a rough examination and classified into groupsThe vacancies in the various hospitals in New Zealand having.been obtained before the arrival of a - transport the returned men are portioned to hospitals should they need 'inside' treatment, and' also those who need 'outside' treatment at these institutions. Another group v> sent to a convalescent institution, such as King Keorge Hospital at Rotorua, others given'sick leave and allowed to return to their homes. Those fit enough to return to duty are certified as suchLater the men go before the Standing Board, where -they undergo a more deliberate examination and are finally dealt with-, In the case of men whose homes are in outside districts their cases are dealt with as soon after arrival as possible, but in the large land, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin—the men are sent on their destina,tions where practicable at the earliest available opportunity, and are dealt with W the Standing Board there- The men are always anxious to go to their homes and friends without delay, and the JJefence authorities dp their best to satisfy their desire in this respect. As to the degree of disability of the returned men, the papers that are sent from' England state what is considered the merit of each case in order that the compassion-, ate allowance may be determined. In no instance has the recommended portion of compassionate allowance been cut down in New Zealand by the medical authorities, but the reverse has been the case. Often in cases of a quarter disability half, has been allowed, and even three-quarters compassionate allowance. In other cases the compassionate allowances have been increased in a like. proportion." » , , On General Henderson s attention being drawn, to a statement made by _A Returned Man"--that a pass, for the iourney to His home was thrust mto. ius hand upon his arrival arid he was told that he must travel that night otherwise the pass would not hold, good-rhe said; that he could not credit _such .a thing being; done by the authorities m the circumstances as" outlined.: _ •;.-■■ Regarding a statement that had madeT which was'to the effect that .there were men in the : Defence who had not been to. the front and^were desirous ofholding on to their jobs, General.-Hen-derson said that in his department there was one efficient who is too old active service. All the including himself, had returned from the- front, and were, willing; but anxious was stated, by, the authorities that there was only one, fit man at-Defence Headquarters who had not seen service during the present war, and there Vas not an official who had not offered his services. ?