THE WAR AND AFTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1017, 9 October 1903, Page 3

THE WAR AND AFTER.

AN UNFORTUNATE CONTINGENTER. Christchurch. Public attention has been attracted to the case of a local oontingenter, whose treatment by the Government seems to fall considerably short of the promises held out by the Premier to the troopers when they left New Zealand. The young man in quostiou, James McLellan, is the son of a well known resident of Lyttelton, He can still show tho scars of tho wounds ho received afc Bofchasbcrg the unark caused by tho passogo of an expanding bullet through his right leg, and another in his left ankle, a bullet of which the pieces still remain embedded in the flesh in his right hip, and tho dont of still another bullet, reminder of a fractured skull, upon his head. Ho was invalided home some six weeks aftor the return of his contingent, after spending two months and a-half in hospital in South Africa, during part of which time he was at death’s door. His order of discharge states that ho left the army in consequence of completion of service, that his character was good, and that his period of service abroad extended over one year c 6 .days Since his return to New Zealand j he has been incapacitated for any but light work, owing to his wounds. Previous to the injuries which ho received at Bothasborg, Mr McLellan received an accidental bayonet wound in tho loft side at Mooi River, which caused him to romain in hospital for six weeks. After ho was invalided home, Mr McLellan was placed on furlough for 12 months, during which he received full service pay in consideration of his injuries. At the expiration of that period two local doctors wroto informing tho Government of tho nature of his wounds, and submitted that it was a proper case for compensation. As a result of these representations he was given compensation to tho amount of £2O on June 80 of tho presont year. Mr McLellan applied to Sir Joseph Ward for a position as letter-carrier, and received tho reply that his name had been noled, and that his application would be considered whenever a vacancy should occur. Mr Lauronson, M.H.R., has pressed his claims with no great success. Meanwhile the ex-trooper still suffers at intervals from the effects of his wounds, which have left him incapacitated for any sovore work, and since his return to New Zoaland, at tho conclusion of tho war, he has not had employment of any sort.