RETURNED WOUNDED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15975, 21 July 1915, Page 8

RETURNED WOUNDED.

CONVALESCENT HOMES. EQUIPMENT OF BARSTOW HOUSE. OFFER TO HOSPITAL BOARD. The offer made by the Epsom nursing division of the St. John Ambulance Association to equip '.he Barstow House, Epsom, as a convalescent home for returned wounded soldiers was considered by the Hospital Board at its meeting last night. Dr. B. J. Dudley, on behalf of the division, wrote stating that the women of Epsom were anxious to take an active part in the establishment of the home. The hO members of the division were prepared to equip the house completely. The sum of £400 had been mentioned as the amount which would probably be necessary, and this the ladies were ready to collect. The board should supply the trained nursessay two — any male help necessary, and allow the division to do all the work —nursing, cooking, cleaning, etc. Question of a Subsidy. The chairman, Mr. M. J. Coyle, said he thought the sum of £400, or whatever additional amount was raised, should be handed to the board as a contribution. Upon this amount the Government would probably grant a subsidy, and the board could then purchase the furniture for the house. Mr. Coyle moved that the money raised be accepted as a contribution. "Mr. P. M. Mackay asked whether it was certain the board would obtain a subsidy. The chairman said he did not think the Government would object to granting one. Mr. E. H. Potter seconded the chairman's motion, which was carried. Medical Officers Appointed. At a later stage the chairman said he thought the name of the house should be altered to the Epsom Convalescent Home. He moved that Dr. A- Osborne Knight be appointed to the control of the home, and that Dr. Dudley be asked to assist Dr. Knight. Mr. Potter seconded the motion. Mr. Mack ay proposed an amendment that Dr. Dudley be placed in charge. Mr. Mackay said he did this because Dr*. Dudley had done a great deal in connection with the establishment of the % home. Mr. P. J. Nerheny seconded the amendment. Dr. Florence Keller was of opinion that Or. Dudley and Dr. Knight should be placed on an equal footing. It was pointed out that whoever was in charge of the home would be responsible for the administration to Dr. Grant, acting-medical superintendent of the Auckland Hospital. Mr. Mackay then moved, and Dr. Keller seconded, that Dr. Dudley and Dr. Knight be placed on an 'equal footing as far as the conduct of the home was concerned. This motion was adopted. RETURNED SOLDIERS. NO WHANGAREI WELCOME. STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ] Wellington, Tuesday. Some questions regarding the complaints by relatives of soldiers who returned by the Willochra, that they were not notified of the latter's arrival at the towns to which they belong, were put to the Minister for Defence to-day in the House by Sir Joseph Ward. The first question was based upon a telegram from Whangarei which appeared • in the New Zealand Herald of yesterday regarding Privates Davidson and Muldrock, who, it was stated, had arrived at Whangarei on Saturday without any prior > notice from the Defence* Department. 1 Sir J. Ward asked whether the statei ment in the telegram was correct. Mr. Allen said that he had heard about the case in question, and had telegraphed an inquiry concerning it. He was very ' sorry if no notification had been sent. The Department had supplied certain of the returned soldiers, who were not hospital cases, with orders for railway tickets. Some of the men elected not to go to Auckland by the special hospital train, but to go by another train of their own selection. A special officer was sent with the hospital train with instructions to notify the Mayors of different towns of the expected arrival of soldiers going to such towns. As some men, however, went . by other trains, the matter was not an easy one to organise. Once these men were allowed to go on their own account it was not easy to follow them or to keep trace of them. Sir J. Ward also stated that through lack of intimation some parents and relatives had missed meeting the men returning by the Willochra. They expected these men to arrive at Lyttelton by the Willochra, and a number of the men travelled from Wellington by the ferry steamer. The ferry steamer train left Lyttelton before the train arrived conveying friends and relatives to meet the Willochra. There was great dissatisfaction in Christchurch in connection with these cases.

Mr. Allen said that he had not heard of these cases- Some men were allowed to travel by the ferry steamer if they chose, instead of the Willochra, and it was not known who had chosen the ferry steamer. He had not desired to inflict military discipline on the men to any greater extent than was necessary, but he now wished that he had insisted on every man going down by the Willochra. He had issued instructions by which Mayors of towns through which the trains were going should be informed, and also parents notified of the time of t'.ieir sons' arrival as far as possible. Sir Joseph Ward said that he thought it would have been better to have allowed the whole of the men to go South by the Willochra. In that case the Mayor, and also the parents, would have known what was being done. In reply to another question by Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Allen said that the granting of sick leave to men discharged from the camp hospitals after illness was a matter for the medical officers.

CONDUCT or OFFICERS. MR. PAYNE'S QUESTIONS. [BY TELEGRAPH. — CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday. In the House of representatives to-day Mr. Payne, member for Grey Lynn, asked the Minister for Defence a question regarding a complaint which he said had been made touching the conduct of officers on a ship conveying wounded men from the Dardanelles to Alexandria. He said that it was stated that the officers took up the best part of the ship and about two-thirds of the space. It was also complained that the food served to the men on the Willochra' was not satisfactory. Another report was that the officers in Oallipoli went into action wearing their leggings and badges. Mr. Allen said he did not know what had happened between the Dardanelles and Alexandria, but he did not believe for a moment that the officers desired to monopolism the best part of the ship. " If I know the officers," he said, "I think they would look after the men before themselves." Mr. Payne : I can give the names of the ship and of the men.

Mr. Allen : Well, give me the information. I do not believe it for a moment. I have faith in the officers. I have heard no complaint as to the food on the Willochra. I understand that the officers have abandoned all distinctions of dress in Flanders, and I should imagine that that was also being done at the Dardanelles. I do not know, of course. lam not controlling the Dardanelles campaign.