CARE OF EX-SOLDIERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17108, 14 November 1929, Page 12

CARE OF EX-SOLDIERS

INQUIRY CONTINUES SOME MEDICAL OPINIONS (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last might. The Returned .Soldiers’ Rehabilitation Commission coii'tinued its sittings to-day. | Major ,(!. E. D. Canlalo supported, the da im that South African veterans should ibe placed on ,the same footing as those of the -Great War in regard to pensions and training. Dr. W. N. Abbott expressed the belief that neurasthenic eases should bo dealt iwitlh by permitting work at under-rate wages 'with a. Government subsidy of the balance. A. nerve hospital, such as that at Ilamner, should

be established .in the Auckland pro

viiice, as Ilamner was too far away. Subsidised unde.r-ratc work out of doors should be provided for pulmonary -tuberculosis- cases. In more severe cases the solution was 100 per cent, pension. There should be a sanatorium in the Waitakere Ranges, run in conjunction with the Auckland Hospital Board. To cape for the aged, debilitated, and those unable -to work, there should be some sort -of institution such tig the Epsom Infirmary, with a special subsidy, until sufficient cases were collected for veteran's’ homes.

I Dr. W. C. McCaw suggested that certain (classes of -cases -would be ibeuic- , filed mentally and physically by tho alteration of the present method of ad'ministering pensions, without disorganising to any great extent the systems now in use. lie made suggestions similar to those Of Dr. Abbott.

Mr., W. E. Cayley' Alexander, deputy-president of the To Kuiti Returned (Soldiers’ Association, ’criticised the operations of, the Land Revaluation iConinrittce, and said the wiping out -of a large -proportion of liabilities was .no actual benefit to -soldier farmers, as they over© not. thus enabled to purchase seed and manure. In many cases- £SO or £IOO would have got these men out of their (trouble, and tile Government' would have been -saved thousands of pounds. No distinction was made between-triers and non-triers. POSITION IN FACTORIES.

Mi - . George Finn, president of flic Auckland Manufacturers ’ Association, speaking regarding (factory work generally, said it would be detrimental to .efficiency' if -special consideration had -to be shown to individual members’ physical 'unfitness or inability K; keep pace with their . fellow-workers, .There were, however, positions .lu. most works where men eo-uld be employed as messengers or at other light vyork if (licensed as undcr-ratc workers. f Replying-to the chairman, Mr. J. S. Barton,' S.M., Mr. Finn said, tlhajt if the (work -of the' conunii-ssiori shbuld -result in -a scheme -accepted by the Go-v----ernmen-t as -sound and placed': in the hands of competent (men to administer, he thought he could pledge his association and its -members 'to give continuous sympathetic support. In -reply to Captain E. vH. Sharpe, witness said he was in favor of the under-rate .system, (but he was doubtful of its ultimate; success;

■ Mr. A,,, L. -Nagent, * 'representing a firm interested in the, provision, of appliances for disabled soldiers, and himself one of those men, outlined (the occupations which 'could advantageously be made for the absorption of disabled ’and -otherwise unfit returned I hien. The principal 'ones were goat, farming and artificial limb manufacturing by a co-operative- association. jGiio advantage, telaimed for this' was greater satisfaction of individual ''requirements in artificial limbs and appliances. , v,' ; * " Replying it'd' 'the chairman, Mr. NiK gent said that S-t'iwa® the 1 practice at the Government in the Majority dr cases' to dnsi-st on a l ' gertaiii type 'hi lim-ld irrespective of, the- wishes of tlio man -who was to use it. ' j 1

The 'chairman said the suggestion ifoi* artificial limb*hi'anufactuHng- deserved careful C-onsidcra'tion. -Tie questioned •the wisdom of the suggestion for cooperative financing of the scheme.

Thomas Selwyn Miller gave evidence regarding his personal .experience of the different types, of artificial limbs. Regarding this as a -typical‘.case-, the -commission decided to have a vieUiolist rati on of t'hc.psp.of HTnb.s.at. a later period.