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Western Mail, Thursday, 5 September 1929, p. 2.
A Repatriation Anomaly.
An anomaly in the regulations of the Repatriation Commission, which for years this State has endeavoured to have rectified, is that relating lo free medical treatment for deceased soldiers' dependants. At present they are entitled to free treatment of deceased soldiers' dependants. At moment their illness becomes serious, necessitating a stay in hospital, the Repatriation Department waives responsibility for medical expenses. This seems to be a violation of principle. If it is right and just that minor illnesses of deceased soldiers' dependants should be treated at the Commission's expense, then surely an increase in patients' disabilities should not be a reason for declining to recognise them as entitled to further benefits. If a soldier's widow has a headache she can obtain free medical treatment because she is a soldier's widow. If a soldier's widow has typhoid fever she cannot obtain free medical treatment because she is a soldier's widow. Why the difference? If the principle is wrong then the headache should not be treated free. If the principle is right then the typhoid fever should be medically treated free of cost. The subject is again being brought before the R.S.L. State Congress by a resolution from the Mount Lawley sub-branch, which is asking that full details of the present scheme be submitted to W.A. members of the Federal Parliament, with a request that the matter be reconsidered. To say the least, the attitude of the Commission is peculiar. It could be better understood if the position was reversed and major illnesses were free and minor illnesses not considered. In the former cases the need is more obvious.