DR. THACKER'S CHARGES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 74, 25 February 1918, Page 3

DR. THACKER'S CHARGES.

COURT CF INQUIRY. Per Press Association. Wellington, February 25. The report of the Court of Inquiry into Or. Thnoker’s charges says: Dr. Thacker’s telegram complaining to the Minister of Defence was sent on November 13, but only two cases which hml occurred before that date were brought up, and these were unjustified. The allegation that the medical examiners had been insulting to these were the cases of Woods and Durrow/i, Two other cases, McAnulty and Cooper, were of a trivial nature. All these four men were, apparently antagonistic to the medical examiners. Concerning Emanuel’s complaint of laxity by the medical examiners in not subjecting him to further medical examination to corroborate the medical certificate which was accepted by them, the Court is of the opinion that the examination was adequate and the classification made in good faith. Regarding Burrows, who complained that ho was arrested while on sick leave and ordered not to visit Dr. Thacker, and with being threatened with solitary confinement if he did so, although the Court is of opinion that Mac Gibbon may have exceeded bis powers in ordering him not to visit Dr. Thacker, nevertheless it considers tlie order did not constitute ar insult.

Regarding the alleged threat o' solitary confinement, Burrows .said Mac Gibbon made it a stipulation thal if he promised not to visit Dr Thacker he would he released from detention, this statement has not been refuted, and the Court is of opinion that Burrows was justified in assuming that the stipulation constituted a threat. Regarding McNamara this man is obviously of a high-strung : nervous temperament, and the Court suggests that Fitzgerald was-, ill-advised in making audible asides to his 'cob league, the tenor of which might be misconstrued. If the Regulations dr not permit, of medical examining hoards asking a reservist his name, Fitzgerald was wrong in doing so in this case.

The Report concludes: “We consider that many reservists appear before the medical examiners armed with certificates which they had been persuaded will exempt them from fnrthei examination and liability for militan services. When they discover such not to be the ease, they are inclined to believe that they have a grievance against, the medical examiners. This has apparently in certain cases been fomented by the .interference of Dr.‘ Thacker, whose conduct as an officer may be regarded as subversive, of military discipline, .as in the case of ■Burrows,, where lie himself failed to report" the matter to district headquarters but -instead sent a telegram to General Henderson,”