THE ARMY ABROAD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2859, 25 August 1916, Page 6

THE ARMY ABROAD

.■' « INSTITUTIONS IN ENGLAND LETTER FROM GENERAL GODLEY News of how New Zealand Army affairs are going at tho front and in England is contained in a letter just recoived by the Minister of Defence from General Godloy. Mr. Allen gavo tlie following extracts from this letter to a Dominion reporter yesterday:—

"Conditions hero, though in many ways easier than in Gallipoli, are more trying to anyone whose nerves are not quite right, on account of tho frequency and weight of tho enemy's shelling.

"A. groat deal of time has been given to the organisation of the dental work here, and it now seoms to be running smoothly and efficiently. "I have reappointed the* Rev. J. A. Luxford to be principal chaplain to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force again. I saw him at Hornchurch, and although he has only one leg ha will be able to do the work and to advise Richardson as regards all chaplains', matters, and to co-ordinate the whole lot.

"While at. Home I visited Hornchurch and found everything going on very well there, but tho ■■ Command Depot, as it is called, was just about to be transferred to Codford St. Mary, near Salisbury Plain, which 1 quite agree was a- bettor arrangement. I also went to see the training establishment at Salisbury Plain aud found the men thcro very comfortably located in huts. \

"1 went to see the New; Zealand Hostel, for which they have taken three ■corner houses in .Russell Square, quito near to our Headquarters Office. It should bo a great boon to our men. JThis is the hostel for Which the New Zealand Government has provided £4000 for establishing and, maintaining for a year.) Our offices are excellent, and, 1 think, vory well run with a minimum of staff.

."Colonel : Myers is acting as A.D.M.S., assistant to Parkes. Fitzherbert is managing Records, Hutchcn tho pay, and Levien the ordnance, and. all of them, I think, are doing quite well. ' As regards postal services I expect you to send a senior officer as recommended by the Hon. R. H. Rhodes. He is urgently required. (A senior officer has been sent.). "I also inspected the convalescent camp at Epsom and found it an excellent institution, and well -managed' by an Imperial medical officer, Colonel Kilkelly. Huts are set apart, for us, but since then I understand there is some question of its being handed over entirely to tho Canadians, in which case.Richardson has proposed that we should got Hornchurch as our convalescent depot. To this I have agreed. Small convalescent homes in England are not necessary or desirable, and we shall got bettor results by having our efforts concentrated and 'co-ordinated ."The sito for the New Zealand Hospital at Brocklehurst is, I believe, an ideal ono—l had not time to go. and seo.it—and I th'ink that with two-hos, pitals. one at Walton and one at Brocklehurst, and a convalescent' depot at Epsom or Hornchurch; a command depot at Codford St. Mary, and a-! reserve grant, as.it is called (for tho training of reinforcements, etc.), at Bulford,: on Salisbury Plain, wo are /altogether' well off.-" ; I have every reason to believe that our men will not only bo'''well -looked after but that tlw interests and co-ordination of all units of tho Forco will he well maintained by Headquarters in London." .'.••■•■'