DISABLED SOLDIERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19814, 4 December 1919, Page 3

DISABLED SOLDIERS.

PATRIOTIC FUND TO HELP TOTALLY DISABLED MEN, Although totally disabled soldiers are lightly provided for by the-State, the aar relief societies have frequently come to tlieir further assistance in cases where such assistance is necessary. The Advisory Hoard of the Patriotic Societies of Now Zealand has collected full information regarding the number of totally disabled soldiers, and a, Dominion scheme will probably'be worked out lor tlieir assistance over and above what the State may be doing. There are thu ty-nine men in New Zealand receiving permanent pensions lor total disablement, and particulars of their cases have been received by the Canterbury Patriotic Society. The lisi .is incomplete, however, ns it does mu, include undischarged men lying ir. hospital at present, and there will also be a number of consumptives and partially disabled men who will probably need assistance from war relief societies, A ery sad details are disclosed in a perusal of the Advisory Board’s lisi, of totally disabled men. Christchurch cases include those of two single men who have suffered the amputation of both legs. Another Christchurch man. single, and fortunately without dependents. has lost the left eye, the left leg and (he right thumb, and has a shell wound in the right hand. Another North Canterbury man has lost the right arm and part of the left thumb, with other injury to the loft hand. Two other Christchurch men are totallv blind, and one, in addition to gunshot wounds in both legs, suiters occasionally at night time from the effects of gas. A mart at W aihi lias lost the use of both arms. A lloCirmi man has complete paralysis o! both legs, dun to a gunshot wound in the spine. An Auckland man is totally blind and has a gunshot wound in the right arm. A Wellington man has lost hot it legs, in addition to an injury to the right arm. An Auckland man, totallv blind, has also wounds in the head. A married man in the Alanawatu district- has lost, his right arm and has gunshot vminds in the face and leg, and is also deaf in the left ear. Another man, whose mother is dependent on him, has lost- the lower jaw. and lia> other severe facial disfigurement. Amputation of the left aim and partial amputation of tlie right hand is recorded of a Dunedin man. Another man has full ankylosis of both arms. The-e are only a few of the many sad eases in which the loss of one eye. in addition to other injuries, is frequentlv recorded.