DEFINING RESPONSIBILITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9256, 25 January 1916, Page 7

DEFINING RESPONSIBILITY

WHERE PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES SHOULD. COMB IN.

The Minister for i’ublic Health (Hon. G. W. Russell) told a “New Zealand Times”'. reporter yesterday that one only of the cases mentioned by Dr Thaoket eedrijed to have any connection, with his depart me p.t. , He had‘giWn instructions for 'a report to' be ■ prepared Regarding that case. But if, ar-it- -appeared,-, the. grievance waa that a discharged soldier had gone to Rotorua and been refused admission to the convalescent camp, the charge would fall to the ground. The discharged soldier was a civilian and bin-,nwn .-application,,. Ho, should make hia-claim ,tp, the Pensions Hoard or thnspatriotib societies,;- ; “I "'accept full responsibility for every-soldier .who is placed by the Defence authorities in any public hospital or convalescent "damp,‘'from the time he comes under the. care of .the Pablip. .Health : Department until ha returns to' the forces dr is discharged/’ wadded the Minister for Public Health, t The statement was made in reply to‘a question regarding the division of responsibility between the Government and- the' patriotic societies. The reporter had suggested that there was uncertainty in the minds of many of the soldiers and of the . general public, *ho could not understand why individual soldiers should have to complain of hardship while the patriotic ‘ societies held enormous sums of money in trust. : “When the soldier leaves; the, hospital; or- convalescent' camp he passes under the care of tho Defence Department again; or-if he is given his discharge by the Defence authorities he neasee to ho a soldier, and is no longer a charge upon the Government,” continued the Minister. “He then turns to tho Pensions Board, or resumes his civilian employment. That is where the patriotic societies ought to come in., ~... They are : in possession of huge snips' o( money subscribed by the public for the sick and wounded soldiers. Surely they ought to como forward and do they have agreed’to do, .'tnd'whaVthay have, asked"the people for money to enable them to do.” ■ Thr Minister mentioned that he had called -a conference of delegates of the patriotic societies, to bo held In Wellington on February 17th next. Ho hoped that all the points still in doubt regarding the duties and responsibilities of the societies would bo cleared up„„on that occasion.