GRIEVANCES OF SOLDIERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13899, 24 January 1916, Page 8

GRIEVANCES OF SOLDIERS.

(Special to the Herald.) ..' AUCKLAND, this day. , ; A deputation of- returned soldiers with grievances regarding their treatment by military* authorities, waited ou Dr. H. Ti Jj Thacker, M.P., of Christchurch, who is at present m Auckland. The men were obviously quite sincere m .making pom plaint. They stated that they had -attempted to gam redress from, tlie iDefenco Department, and as there had been no evidence of a. desire to ,jneet .their,, cases with that sympathy which they expect, they fear that they _-cc be. left , without assistance, either •financially or otherwise, to. tind for themselves. Dr. Thacker did. more than lepd » sympathetic ear. Ho made a thorough examination of each man, and. took notes on tlie cases as medical practitioner,,, aud also collected evidence m 'his capacity as a member of Parliament. Do.. .Thacker states that as a result of examination and inquiry he is .satisfied that men m Auckland have a real •ground for complaint. Tn order to investigate complaints which ho haa ?&• ceived as to tho treatment of soldiers at Rdtonia., Dr. Tliacker left for there today. . "SeveraT men who have hastened back from Rotorua. are telling their mates not to go up there," said Dr. Thacker, "because they iind it dilKculi to get any attention. In order to make acquainted M-ith. the facts of the case I hope to make a personal inspection of the hospitals at Pukcroa- Hill and elsewhere. 1 ' " (Per Press Association.) '; WELLIHTON, this day. With' regard, to Dr. Thacker's statements; Ihe. -Hon. \.X. Allen says that he daiinotv understand the complaints re pay. The • instructions are that men arc t0. .b0- paid .fortnightly until discharge. In.' Bomo dases tho pay is withheld until a-'..'man ? s book comes ' from Egypt. THereVmust be a check on the pay" received 1 before arrival, to prevent overlapping, - which has actually happened iii, {few cases. To prevent this an amount is held foj* adjustment purpose. 'Ho should not n;iv it would ever amount to £7 10s. the Hon. Mr tassel I ' : sa,ys that the t'ublii* Health Department .'has no control over soldiers Who have been discharged. They then j become civilians, and are entitled to ti;datment iv public hospitals. Ho could cypress no opinion on the cases quoted till the, medical' officers responsible had been asked for an explanation with regard to a man alleged to have gone to Bqtorua, Mr Russell said that if he was despatched by • tho authorities it would surprise him very much to learn there was any delay m admitting him. If he went on his own account as a discharged, soldier he could not be admitted. If a man is disabled he should apply to the Pensions Board, and if ho needs treatment he. can get it a* a public 'hospital. A judgment should be reserved m the cases quoted.* If Dr Thacker forwards tho statements a full enquiry will be made /