SACRIFICES NOT REGRETTED

Southland Times, Issue 23840, 10 June 1939, Page 11

SACRIFICES NOT REGRETTED

LIMBLESS SOLDIERS AT REUNION PROBLEMS OF DISABILITY DISCUSSED “I do not think that any one of us here tonight will ever regret the price he paid during the war and the sacrifices entailed since, so long as the people of this country retain and use wisely the freedom we helped to secure for them, at a time when freedom and the future of this country were in jeopardy,” said Mr C. E. H. Wilson, who presided at the annual dinner and reunion at Dunedin on Thursday night of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces’ Amputees’ Association. There were about 70, limbless exservicemen present, including several from Southland, together with a large number of nursing sisters. “We do, however, hope that in the changing times and daily changing problems of the country,” Mr Wilson added, “the sacrifices of those who returned from the Great War will not be relegated to the background for, transient as are the problems and cares of the moment, the sufferings of those who made physical sacrifices for their country are permanent, and we know they are increasing with the passing of the years. “Tonight we meet once again in an atmosphere of peace, yet reminiscent of war, and doubtful as is that peace internationally and remote in years as is the Great War to many, to us it is ever real through the knowledge of war and personal sacrifices made.” Mr Wilson said that during the year, an investigation unique in the operations of Returned Soldiers’ organizations was carried out by the committee. For some considerable time, it had been felt by many interested in the welfare of their war time comrades, that all was not well, both physically and economically, in the sphere of that section of the war wounded, the amputees. To gauge the extent of the effect on the health and general welfare of war amputees, it was considered necessary to institute some organization, conversant with the persons concerned, and capable of carrying out the investigations required. AMPUTEES’ ASSOCIATION To this end ex-soldier Amputees’ Associations allied to the Returned Soldiers’ Association, were set up in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and a comprehensive questionnaire was issued to all known war amputees in these centres. The results of these circulars had come to hand, and revealed an unfortunate state of affairs in so far as the health and welfare of this particular section of war wounded , were concerned. Unemployment took its toll at the very beginning of their return to civil life, because of their decreased industrial efficiency. Many of these men on enlistment left a future which was extremely brilliant, and returned to find that that career was gone and their pre-war occupation denied them because of their war disabilities.

In the near future it was intended to hold a conference in Wellington and present to the authorities concerned some concrete proposals in the hope that some more adequate assistance ■ would be forthcoming than that which had been afforded in the past “We are grateful to this country for the legislation provided for the war disabled,” Mr Wilson concluded, “but it cannot be said, on the changing conditions economically as a whole, . and physically in the case of the individual, that the war pensions legislation of 1915 and its amendments are adequate for all time. Any increased compensation granted, even at this late date, will be infinitesimal to the country, compared with the physical, personal, and financial loss of the former soldier concerned.”

Proposing the toast of The Nursing Service and Army Medical Corps, Captain W. Bell (Woodlands) advanced the View that, with all due respect to the medical officers, the nurses saved more lives during the war than the doctors. He also paid a tribute to the work of the doctors during the war years and since, and did not forget to mention the hospital orderlies who had been of such assistance to disabled soldiers. In her response to the toast, Sister M. J. Jeffrey referred to the help ' the V.A.D.s had given in the wards during the war years. Sister J. Nicholson, who also responded to the mast, admired the true patriotism of those who were again volunteering now that circumstances compelled them. Several other, toasts were honoured, and musical items were contributed by Messrs R. Kingsland (Invercargill), G. Crawford and Arthur Macdonald.