X-RAYING TROOPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23620, 2 April 1940, Page 9

X-RAYING TROOPS

NEW METHOD POSSIBLE PRESENT SYSTEM FAULTS TRAINING TIME WASTED A change'in the system of X-raying soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force is now under consideration by the defence authorities. If it is' adopted, arrangements will be made for this type of examination at the same time as the usual medical tests after a recruit has registered. At present the practice is to X-ray soldiers after they have gone into camp nnd started training, and it is stated that serious defects liave been disclosed in this method. By the time the X-ray examination of all members of the second echelon was completed, the troops had been in camp for several weeks. As a result, those men who were found to have tuberculosis and other chest conditions necessitating their discharge have sometimes had considerable difficulty in resuming their civilian occupations. Financial Considerations From the Army viewpoint, too, the result has not been completely satisfactory. The X-ray examination has certainly saved the country money in one direction. That is, it has avoided pensions for invalidity which would probably only become noticeable during the rigours of active service oversea. On the other hand, it is stated that the delay in holding the X-ray examination has cost the Army Department money in another direction. The men discharged have been paid by the State for as long as they have been in camp. Again, they have to a degree set back their units' training programme, since the new men sent in to replace them have had to be brought up to the standard of proficiency reached by the men who have passed the X-ray examination before former progress can again be made. Call lor Replacements The result has also been embarrassing in that men-regarded as being available for the third echelon have suddenly had to be mobilised as replacements for those "boarded out" after X-ray. Because of these considerations it has been urged that a better procedure than the present one would be to Xray all recruits immediately # after registration and before mobilisation. While the installation of modern equipment at Papakura and other New Zealand camps has involved much expense, it is stated that more would be saved by setting up such facilities in the centres where the preliminary examinations are conducted.

WAR EXPENSES FUND LOANS AND DONATIONS TOTAL NOW £1,461,860 [BY TELEGRAPH—PJtKSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Monday Additional interest-free loans and donations to the War Expenses Fund were acknowledged to-day by the Min-. ister of tlie lion. \V. .Nush. The total sum received is now £1,461,800. Included in (ho amounts are tho •followin^.- —Pine, Gould, Guinness, Limited. Christchurch, duration of the war and six months, .t'10,000; Mosgiel Woollen Factory Company, Limited, duration and six months, £5000; Farmers' Co-operative Organisation Society of New Zealand, Limited, llawera, duration and l'J months. r_»000; Dairy Products, Limited. Dunedin, duration and 12 .mouths, £1000; C. T. Jiickit and Sons, Limited, Io Awamutu, 32 months, £1000; h. C. H<ekit. Te \wamutu, duration and I'-! months, £ooo, Mrs M. M. Kickit, To Awamutu, duration and 12 months, £5000; Iron and Steel Company of New Zealand, Limited, Dunedin, duration and six months, £1000; iscy t popper and Company, Limited, Auckland, dura- . tion and six months, £1000; H. C.Cock, Nelson, duration and six months, £IOOO, OtaKO Iron Rollins Mills Company, Limited, Dunedin duration and six months, £IOOO. Denhard Bakeries, Limited, Wellington, duration and six months, £1000; Darling and McDowell. Limited, Oamarn. duration and six months, £1000; Foster Brook, Hastings, duration and six months, £^oo. North Otago ltugb.v Football Union, Oamaru, duration and 12 months, £«'°o' Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Assoc ation, Hamilton, duration and six mo ths. £500; I'- Hickman, Morningside, Auckland duration and l'J months, £100; 1 lako Ilpckcy Association, Morrinsville d " i^ lo 5 ll jJ nd .|.. s r ! l x months, £SO; Kotorua Bowling Clu , dnra tion and six months, £o0; Keans, Auckland, duration, £100; Mrs B. V. Cassidy. Herne Bav, Auckland, duration, £SOO F. 1. L • Evans and Company, Auckland, duration and six mouths £250; Henry Street, Grey Lynn, and six months, £500; F. R. Gibhs. \lbert duration and 12 months, £->0; Miss M L Gibbs, Mount Albert, duration nnd !•> months, £25; Mrs. M. Watson, iuakau, duration and six months, £300; anonymous, Auckland, duration and six months, £-•>• William Cameron, Waiuku, duration and 1months, £100; J. T. Glecson, Bombay, donation '£2: Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Western, lort Albort, donation, £l3* G-. R. Cottle, Greymouth, duration and 12 months, £500; anonymous, Whakatane, , duration, £25; L<. W. S2Sta on i2s'° r MS! II A. M.S Maiinganul, donation, £2O; H. Earacs. Wellington, duration and 12 months, £IOOO, O. T Richardson, Masterton,* duration and six months, £1000; anonymous. Palmerston North, duration, £IOOO. £IOOO FROM A FARMER FURTHER LQAN PROiMISED A cheque for £IOOO as an interestfree loan for the duration of the war and six months thereafter with a promise of a further substantial sum if the war l.asts longer than a year from now was sent to the Minister of Finance yesterday by Mr. 11. H. Chapman, of Tuakau, chairman of the Frankton Co-operative Dairy Company. In urging that farmers and others who could do so should support Mr. Nash's appeal for interest-free loans, Mr. Chapman said there was only, one job to be done at the moment and that was to win the war. If Germany were victorious it would be too late to suggest what might have been done, and, equally, there would bo no question as to whether a Labour or Nationalist Government was to control New Zealand. FIGHTING SERVICES APPEAL £571 FROM PATCH OA DISTRICT [BY TE LEG RAT* II OWN CORRESPONDENT?] PAEROA, Monday With some small returns still to conic in, the treasurer of the Paoroa district committee of the fighting services welfare appeal reports that he luis roceived sums totalling £571. This exceeds the quota for the district. SOLDIERS ENTERTAINED MOTUTAPU ISLAND VISIT

The first concert party to entertain soldiers stationed on Motutapu Island since the outbreak of war visited the island on Saturday night and presented a varied programme. Sent by the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee and led by Miss Patricia Boylo, the party, which v.*as well received, included Mesdames C. Wiseman, H. F. W. Meikle, Misses G. Coney, L. Piggott, -T. Kid wards, M. McKnsseek, P. Tiexiera, M. Lock, Messrs. I). Wrathall, J). Flood, F. Baird, J. Finlayson and H. Dalliinore. The members of the party were guests of the officers at supper. Lieutenant Pritchard, in thanking the party, stated that it was the first time ladies had been allowed on the island. The accompanists were Mesdaines Burrington Snow nnd E. E. Boyle.