CARE OF RETURNED MEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13967, 28 September 1918, Page 8

CARE OF RETURNED MEN.

CONDITIONS AT ROTORUA,

NEED. OF. USEFUL TRAINING.

V NEGLECT FOR THREE YEARS. [BT TSUGBAPB.-rOWK CORRESPONDENT.} ROTORUA, Friday. The resentment stated to .have been aroused ip Rotorua by remarks recently made by Miss Murray, regarding the conditions at King George V. Hospital, is not shared by a number of people in close touch with all the facts of the case, "That these remarks should have been construed as a personal criticism of the people of Rotorua is regretable," stated one authority, " for we realise that Miss Murray was actuated solely by a sense of duty to the soldiers, and in no way wished to refleqt on the hospitality or generosity of the townspeople." Thev matter was summed up briefly by Colonel A, S. Herbert, principal medical officer, who, in the course of an interview to-day, said:—" All the deficiencies in the building and in lack of material "Comforts for the men, to which attention has been drawn, have already beep remedied, or will he as soon as building contracts and other arrangements can be completed." Recent Improvements. Captain S. M. Hayes, in charge of the Salvation Army Institute, and secretary of the local branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association, expressed the same

opinion. "Miss Murray's remarks were correct, with one exreptton, as to conditions which, formerly existed," he said, "and would have been entirely justified bad not extensive' improvements and alterations already been tn progress. The only point to which exception could other, ! wise be taken is her statement that nothing was being done for the entertainment of the men. The people of Hotorua have already contradicted this on their own account, and I wish to add also that the provisions made by the balvation Army and the Church of England Institutes is ample. Our own building has been greatly i enlarged, and the needs of the men are now fully met." Captain Hayes expressed sympathy with the suggestion that the Government should do more for the convalescent men, instead of leaving so much to private benevolence. "If anything, there has been too much recreation and entertainment,'' he added, "and not nearly enough in the direction of giving the men work to keen them busy. It is scandalous that the Government has done nothing- towards giving these men an opportunity while here of learning eomo useful branch ot work. Many hundreds of them have passed through Rotorua not one whit better equipped for earnine their living after they leave, although tho majority of cases treated here are limb cases, which, in many instances, necessitate some new line of work. We contend that the greatest lack in the whole adminis* tration at Rotorua is the dearth of profitable employment for the men. Treatment takes about half-an-hour, and, apart from individual enterprise, tbero is nothing for the soldiers to do all the rest of the day but to play games or otherwise amusethemselves. Unquestionably they would bo better and happier at work, and the Government owes it to these men that when they leave Rotorua they shall at I least have had the opportunity to fit ' themselves for some higher form of occupation than running a lift or sopio-1 thin? equally unskilled. |

Lack o! Profitable Employment. Major A. Tattersall, chairman of the Rotorua branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association, agreed that tho strongest point in Miss Murray's criticism was that of lack'of profitable employment, although in the past there certainly had also been a great lack of comfort in the home. Nothing had been done during the three years soldiers had been at Rotorua to induce them to study or to (rain themselves for civil vocations. Basket-making and art work had certainly been taught, but functional and vocational training were two entirely different things, and only, a neglible number of men would carry on the. work after leaving Rotorua. A model poultry and vegetable farm embracing beekeeping might, for instance, have been established, thus enabling the men to gain practical knowledge in profitable and not too strenuous work.

" However, I do not think the Government is entirely to blame," added Major Tattersall. "It had no complaints from the men themselves, for the soldiers proverbially will not ' growl," but I consider the people of Rotorua are in some measure responsible for the laxity that up till now has prevailed. They have not supported the Returned Soldiers' Association as they might have done in its efforts to rouso public opinion in the matter, nor demanded that the Government should do more for the solders, instead of leaving it to private benevolence. The Government is, of course, acting on the same lines as the Imperial Government, which consider a roof, three meals a day and a bed all. it owes the soldier. Private generosity in New Zealand, although great, cannot be so wide as that which is possible in England." Question of Responsibility. This view was supported by Mr. T. Charter, in charge of the Church of England Institute. "The conditions which up till now have existed at the King George Hospital, and the lack of suitable employ ment for the men," ho said, "aro mainly the fault of the Government, but the 1 people here are responsible also, for they have not taken any strong measures to enforce improvements. Recently I invited 'cot-case' soldiers from the sanatorium to the Institute for tea, but was told there were not nearly sufficient invalid chairs to bring thern in. The provision of such necessaries is surely a matter in which the Government might well interest itself." The announcement that a comprehensive scheme is already in hand for the training of convalescent mem in many branches of useful and profitable work, "including the building of workshops at tho King George Hospital and the erection of a manual training school, has been received with much satisfaction. Although belated, its inauguration will be very heartily welcomed by all those interested in the welfare of the returned men.*