OLD SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27385, 10 May 1950, Page 10

OLD SOLDIERS

Fate Questioned NEED FOR VETERANS’ HOME There were 17 old soldiers in the Talboys Home, and about the same number at the home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, said Mr J. W. Anderson at the annual meeting of members of the RSA last night. Mr Anderson said that, as trustee, he had been left sums of money from two estates to establish a veterans’ home, but he was quite prepared that the money should be devoted to a convalescent home for veterans in Dunedin. The president, Mr K. W. Stewart, said that the Dunedin RSA had never been satisfied with the conditions at Talboys Home, and neither, he thought, had the Otago Hospital Board. Mr Stewart said that a veterans’ horre had been purchased in Timaru. and a number of elderly returned men from Dunedin might be accommodated there. Mr Anderson: Why not a veterans home in Dunedin? . Earlier. Mr Anderson had inferred that after they had been in hospital returned servicemen were not sent to Montecillo Home, but to other places, for convalescence. Mr Stewart informed him that both pensioner and non-pensioner patients went to Montecillo Home. Mr Anderson questioned that any had gone there recently. Mr Stewart said that Mr Anderson might prepare a report on the position for discussion by the appropriate sub-committee of the executive. There had been no specific suggestions made in the past about the accommodation of convalescent or old returned servicemen. After a member had stated that up to 18 months ago returned servicemen undergoing convalescence had been sent to Hanmer, but this scheme had been abolished owing to a lack of staff at Hanmer, the discussion lapsed.