INVALIDED SOLDIERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 250, 17 October 1918, Page 8

INVALIDED SOLDIERS.

•PfcdyiSldN.; FOR (RETURNED MEN

BY SIB JAMES AULEX

I United i'nau -Association..;

■ . AUCKLAND, October 11. - -An extension of the provisions foi the treatment of soldiers who returi. suffering from consumption ' was an noUncea. by the Minister of Defenct (Sir James Allen) to-day. A new sanatorium is to be erected at. Hatuma. Hawke's Bay, Waders for the work close on October 16, and the contract will provide for Che completion of tht work in April. - -.Sir James Allen said that the sanatorium "will be a most complete block of and in designing it th< greatest care has. been taken to makt ■it as - perfect as an institution of the .kind can be made. , Referring to the question that the •Government- had not looked far enough ahead in regard to hospital require roents for wounded soldiers, the Miniate: said: "As a matter of fact, we have bwn constantly looking ahead. The difficulty has been to determine the maximum number of beds Jikely to bf required. As to the present situation, on September 30 we had 1065 returned soldiers in-patients in' the hospitals, and also 185 in-patients brought from the' camps -in -New Zealand, 1250 in all. I am advised that the maxinrum number of-beds we are ever likely to require in the civil and' hospitals and homes is about 20CO. The provision we-nave made already, including the proposed additions to the -Rotorua institutions, gives a grand total of nearly 1300 beds, in case the war were to end ihortly and : EBe soldiers were to be returned "■ more rapidly than we anticipate! " "We have •practically .unlimited ; hospital accommodation' at_ Trentham, Featherston, and.''Narrow Neck camps. Special facilities already, exist .in these camps, especially at iTentham f where an-operating theatre has- been established; If more beds are necessary, the annexe to the . Auckland ' Hospital can easily be enlarged; It has already been BUggested , that we should add to at wards for'.eO beds. The Rotorua accommodation could also, if necessary, be extended to 500' beds.' I think the'public wil'i realise .tha tall possible forethought, has been exercised." >