RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17444, 12 October 1918, Page 10

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

PROVISION FOR HOSPITAL TREATMENT'. EXTENSION ANNOUNCED. (Pee United Press Association.) , AUCKLAND, October 11. An 'extension of the provision for tho treatment of soldiers who return suffering from consumpti6n has been announced by the Minister of Defence. A new sanatorium is to bo erccted at liatuma. in Hawke's Bay. Tenders for the work will close on October 16, and the contract will provide for tho completion of the work in April. Sir James Allen said the sanatorium would bo a most complete block of buildings, and in designing it the greatest care had bsen taken to make it as perfect as an institution of tho kind could be made. Referring to the suggestion that the Government had not looked far enough ahead in regard to hospital requirements for wounded soldiers, ttao Minister said: "As a matter of fact wo have been constantly looking ahead. Tho difficulty has been to determine tho maximum number of beds likely to be required. As to tire present situation, on September 30 wo had 1065 returned soldiers as in-patients in tho hospitals, and also 185 in-patients brought from the camps in Now Zealand —1250 in all. I am advised that the maximum number of bads we aro ever likely to require in tho civil and defence hospitals and convalescent homes is about 20(30. The provision wo have made already, including the proposed additions to the Rotorua institutions, gives a grand total of nearly 1900 beds. In case the war wsro to end shortly and tho soldiers were to be returned more rapidly than wc anticipate, wo have practically unlimited hospital accommodation at the Trentham. Featherston. and Narrow Neck camps. Special facilities already exist in those camps, especially at Trentham. where an operating theatre has been established. If more beds are neosssary the annexe to the Auckland Hospital can easily be enlarged. It has already been suggested that wo should add to it wards for 60 beds. Tho Rotorua accommodation could also, if necessary,_ be extended to 500 beds. I think tho pablic will realise that all possible forethought has been exercised."