DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15120, 20 January 1920, Page 2

DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

file Citizens' Defeuce 1 . -Committee met t'ostorday afternoon. Present: Messrs W. J. . Sherratt (m T the chair), 43. 03. QnlUii* W» J. Sinclair, K. >1. Birrcii, T. Todd, G. Wildish, H. deCosta, A.' 1L Wain's, W. S'isbett, H. White, G. \V. Hupiphrcys, ' litd Colonel W. H. Fletcher/* ' ,Tho Cook Tlosjiital Board, iiir<?ply to ,lie committee's' query icgat'd.uig the cost af extras for soldiers at thtf'hbspital, said Lherfe was .no>tru,th in ,the statement supposed ,to liavc been made to Colonel Fletcher by ,a a-eturncd ; soldier iiimdte of bhe hospital that the men had to pay for bile eggs -ithey-'l had. -Tho extraß account for .November was practically, half for tobacco and stout. Beyondlttiesc itbms the extras charged were only "sufficient to ensure that the sqldier, where possible, bad three good meals per .day. It was only' a few weeks ago that the Citizens' l3ctonce Committee authorised the Board to allow soldier" inmates' a double portion of tobacco allowance. Tho ' hospital authorities were pot desirous .of overstepping the mark m regard to the amount charged for extras, but It would be seen that the soldiers' .who benefited by the extras : ; dill not* receive more than sufficient to give them three good meals per' day. Colonel Fletcher said lie had,, since the" above letter was received, obtained a letter from two soldiers, who said that prior to tho last .meeting of jtlic committee they had to buy their eggs.— Mr Oman said that two soldiers told him they had to buy eggs.— Mr Wallis thought that the hospital should supply the men with good meals.— Mr Todd said he had been an inmate pf the .hospital, and' had not got meat": every aayl'f-Hi* Humphreys said that some- of the soldiers were healthy men. awaiting treatment, and they did not find the meals supblied by the hospital sUnicionb'.— The chairman: was,, about to move that a. committee of three be-ap-pointed to go into the matter \vith "tile Hospital Board,' when .Mr puniphreys said thiit- -would 1 iio't further the matter. What the Hospital :B/oar.d wanted was a specific charge and' the names of the person who charged the soldiers -or collected the pioney.-^Mr Todd suggested that the soldiers' statements '-.-should'' be Investigated .— Mr Wildish .moved ..that the'tletter be sent iback td the hospital '-f0r ...-further information. There was something-' wrong leomcwhero, .and -the copimi^tee .should .get t-hc matter settled.— Mr Huinplireys; said that Colonel Fletcher . sho^l'd.^iiftjb'rview.. the men 'An4'''g?t''a^''.defin|tb^s^tei^e}it-. as to who received the mqney ; ', then lie could' assure them that t|n3_ Board .'would do full iiis-. ticG.to.tho soldiers. Thero, had never been' any complaints that the men were not well tfcatejil T-Coionel Fletcher said 'the men were perfectly Well satisfied with the hospital treatment, but they had ..to pay for 'their eggs.— Colonel 'Fletcher seconded the . motion^ ■ : . ' Mr deCosta moved .iin amendment that Colonel Fletcher ask the mcli to. state who took. the. money .f6f/the--.oggs. > ' Tho -motion*' wVs carried; • . . : The, Defence I)ouai't ; nioni; hi i^eply .-to queries f roni" the. .'.commit toft, advised that it "was rcsngiisibie for thov. treatment of soldiers suffering: frc/m disabilities due to or aggravated by servitjplfSjlii. .reply to statements' that. soldiers/at ilie local bos-; pital were practically' .boarders . pending* transfer, the letter stated that the transfers' were effected ,so^ that the jr»at;cnts could receive special treatment. Thfe - Minister added that he could not. understand the statement that- tlie .hospital doctor did not treat patients pending their transfer, as it was the practice* ■-. of ; '-i medical 'linen' always to. gi vo patients '•: peccssn ry, treatment rgeardless of ., the time'- which it was expected the patient? might remain m their care.— lt was decided v to refer th'd letter to tho medical superintendent for. hi* remarks. . . •Mr G. Wildish, on .behalf of the Claims Committee, reported^ that tho statement, of cl'iuns" denYt I : wflh* lictween January 6 and 19 wns 130. and the niimh'er of men paid out 39. The- amount .disbursed was £215 10s. nnd the amount pi|id out for other securities £17: amount paid to supplement pensions £41 10s. Mr H.- deCosta was authorised to "ot m Colonel Fletcher's nlaoe on the Claims' Committee during the lather's nbsence. Accounts ahiountin'g to £20 6s were passed for l payment:' - > '.-■" 1 .. ,. — rr -r. : : r