INJURED SOLDIERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23769, 24 September 1940, Page 8

INJURED SOLDIERS

. ORTHOPAEDIC TREATMENT; PROVISION OF GYMNASIUM" The preparation of plana for suitable gymnasium facilities in connection, with the orthopaedic treatment of injured soldiers returning to New Zealand was urged by the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. Watt, in a letter received by the Auckland Hospital Board last night. He said the facilities would be required by April 1 nest year." Dr. Watt submitted- a report suggesting the type and dimensions of accommodation required, and details of suitable equipment. He said he need hardly stress the need for a suitablyequipped gymnasium as part of the necessary facilities for proper orthopaedic treatment, and asked the board, if it had not already done so, to put in hand the preparation of plans for a suitable gymnasium. Mr. G. T. Parvin said the moneyshould come out of the War Expenses ; Fund and not from the ratepayers'pockets. •' The chairman, Mr. Allan J. Moody, agreed that the board should try to get more money from the War ExSenses Account. However, the Finance ommittee should investigate the question of equipment. "The Army is taking these men away, and then returning them and dumping them on the community," Mr. Moody said. "This i ye have to stop. The Armv authorities have been a law unto themselves for too long. The Government, the people and the hospital boards should hare some say." Mr. Moody added thai everything would be done for the soldiers. The orthopaedic centre nrnst be kept in Auckland. , The proposal was referred if}, the Finance Committee.