WHARF PASSES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2780, 26 May 1916, Page 6

WHARF PASSES

FOR NEXT-OF-KIN

• SOLDIERS' FRIENDS DISPLEASED

, The practice followed during the past throe months in connection with the issue of wharf tickets to the next-of-kin of soldiers about to sail, has been for the ■Camp Headquarters to post tile tickets So ttie person whose, name appears as ihe next-of-kin, on the soldier's record .papers. Single men's relatives received 'two tickets,; and those of married men ,three tickets. If the next-of-kin resides 'outside New Zealand,the tickets are Posted to the personal friends mentioned on [tho record/ it being' the practice, in such .•cases, to .the name of a friend : wjio resides Tit;the Dominion when the ! record is made.'

' Friends or: some of the men of the J (Thirteenth Eelii?sfcements liave comiplained . that , the soldiers have been un(ftblo to get them tickets for thq wharf, ' and soldiers themselves have stated that, .since the tickets are posted to relatives .vn distant towns, who do not intend to • risit Wellington, they, are of no use. The '-reu stated that they preferred the old lystem of issuing tickets. . This was for ine camp authorities to hand each man fcn envelope,. containing the tickets, and; to ask Mm to write on it the names and ..addresses of those to whom he wished to have the tickets posted. The Camp iHeadquarters' Staff Athen posted the tickets. ,1

On. the matter being, referred to the Camp' Headquarters, it was stated that the present system had been found to lie . the most satisfactory for: all concerned. The idea in issuing the tickets waa to allow the soldiers' relatives on the wharf to see them off. No provision waa made for friends. The wharf was iiot large enough to hold them. : Under the old 6ystem, it was found, in tho first place, '■ that most .of "tho. soldiers, on Seing asked if they were mar.ried, answered "Yes," in'order to; get the extra ticket. - Then,..except iii a comparatively. few instances, .the addresses given l-jrexe 'all in Wellington, j The/result was that the wharf was crammed with friends 'ond the. next-of-kin, who had, perhaps, ■come from Auckland, or Invercargill, wero ■Bometimeg' crowded out.

. ,i - A.second:system was tried, under which 'the soldiers ivere asked to address the i envelopes themselves, and the Camp Headquarters would post : them.; v.Some,of the men would not. bother to do manj • 'of them addressed the envelopes to .resi- ' denfe of. 'Wellington',, and' a largo number addressed them to themselves, a pennyhalfpenny stamp being thus wasted. '

■ The present system was then, adopted, and; the" tickets are posted out ten days or: a fortnight before. the ■ troops sail. There are often, it is found, instances of next-of-kin changing their addresses without notifying, the camp, when there is (delay!in their receiving the'tickets. In any ease,, "when a satisfactory reason is given,- extra tickets .are always issued. The camp authorities wish to' emphasise the fact that; nexfcof-kin tickets are for next-of-kin primarily; it would be impossible -to; issue them to all , the soldiers' friends, as tho space on the wharf is limited, and the present system is work.ing: quite satisfactorily. ■ ;