EASTER LEAVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3047, 7 April 1917, Page 10

EASTER LEAVE

6000 MEN FROM FEATHERSTON

INCLUDING MEN OF THE 27ths

'.-' During the- past ten days about. 6000 mon'have been dispatched- by special trains from Fcathcrston- Camp on, leave. The bulk of these wore soldiers of the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Reinforcements, who have gone on extended final leave. jOn Thursday, scvreral hundred men of the Twenty-scv- . enth Reinforcements left. by special train for. Wellington, and. a--further draft -were to leave for the city to-day. In addition, a considerable number from this Reinforcement will bo given loc'al leavo to-day. Tlio whole of the Twenty-sevenths on leave must return to camp on Monday night. In view of this, jio attempt' was made to ar- . range-'for' any ,to bp. carried 'to their home'towns, as a largo number could not make' the journey and return to camp by Monday night. The arrangements for tho two special trains to Wellington -were' made lasti. Monday, and- while no- promise- of- leave was made, to the troops, it'.appears'to havo been an understood thing that a proportion of them were to be granted, leave. . .

Men from other units and'the camp staff have helped to'.swell, tlio total that has left the - camp during the period mentioned above.- Easter leave is not a recognised camp practice, but •-in view -of the holiday season, as' 'many, men as could be spared and carried to .Wellington w'ero given leave. Soldiers who went south on leave on Wednesday night were' annoyed to find that "they could not all bo accom.modated on tho. ferry steamer. Maori, and 'that most of them had to travel, by tlio To Anau, which. would, not arrive- in time to catch the first express at Lyttelton, and might even miss the' second express. Tho men. protested that-tlio effect of this arrangement, in tho case-of soldiers living south, of Ghristchurch'/was to reduco the Easter leave seriously, and possibly ihvolvo tho loss.of a day.- The .fac,t-was that the .'Maori's available accommodation -had been fully booked, many holiday-, -makers 'having secured their- berths weil. in. advance, and it was- impossible" :to -take -several hundred • soldiorsy whoso :applications for passages-,-.naturally frere "made • at ; the eleventh: hmif ;"■'' ;Th© Te Ana'u's trip was arranged 1 for'the convenience, of the' men, and it''was : assumed by those responsible foi'-'.'tho-':arrangemerits that the -~ soldiers -would catch the second I 'express easily. Tho .train.'would.carry them.as far south as Dunedin,'and.very-few men .living below.Dmiedfn w.ere attempting':to got' home for Easter.. ' . ,-• .-- ',