BACK FROM THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3085, 16 May 1917, Page 6

BACK FROM THE WAR

SCENES ON BOARD A v TRANSPORT

OFFICIAL " WELCOME HOME "

(By Charles E. Wheeler.) When a transport arrives with New Zealand soldiers who have done tncir share of the Empire's work, the I'.rst welcome they get is an official one, on strictly business lines. Eager relatives are waiting ashore, and the soldiers are anxious to put foot once more on'their' native land, but the transport shows no haste in leaving an anchorage far out in the harbour. Why this delay, this exhibition of "red tape"? we hear people ask, After watching vliat goes on for hours after a transport drops anchor, I can answer the question fairlv and truthfully by stating that every moment is filled with work which lias lasting results for the soldier. Arrival in a New Zealand port brings our returned soldiers almost to the climax of their soldierly career.' The great settling-up day has arrived, and the delay at the anchorage is necessary to ensure that every man may go ashore knowing what will happen _ to him—• whether earlv discharge is his fate, or further hospital treatment, so that he may be returned to civil life able to take up his old occupation. And there are many other things which have io be settled before the soldier gets Io bis friends, and then hopelessly out of touch with the authorities for a time. Army of Officials Board the Transport. The tender which ran alongside a recently-returned transport carried a deck-load of passengers and some boxes of official papers. There was also an interesting deed box. closelv watched, bolding something like £2000. which had to be distributed to the returned men by way of advances against their pay. T was permitted' to •accompany the official party, representative of the Medical Service,'the Dental Corps, P.ase Records, Army Pav~~Department, Discharged Soldiers' Information Department, Pensions Department, and the district representatives of the Defence Department. It was nearly 9 o'clock when they got to the ship, but tley proposed to start work immediately, and keep going till after midnight, so that' their business with the men who had to catch early trains would be done in time. "Tied tape" of the delaying sort would have, suggested doing the 'work within official hours, hut all these officers were here, prepared to work extraordinary hours, so that the demands of rhe. system should not unduly stand in the wav of the men's desire to he anions; their relatives at the first possible moment. The Creat Work Begins. The 'ship's main dining saloon is quickly converted into an office, with two long lines of soldiers waiting outside for the process known as "boarding." They wonder wliat is going to happen, but, after half an hour of experiences of the most "varied nature inside the saloon, they come out £3 better off than when they went m, and with definite knowledge as to their future association with-military affairs. The first encounter is with clerks who have brought on board the personal "file" of every returning man. 'It has preceded him from England, and gives details of his history on the medical side right down to his last stay at Codfoi'd, or some other hospital for New Zealanders in England. The soldier gives his name, the file is produced, and ho carries it to the nearest table for an interview with the Provisional Medical 'Board. The two medical men comprising this board ara high up in the service, and of long experience, which enables them, with,the aid of the very complete file, to rapidly make up their mind whether the soldier is to be discharged, m whether further medical treatment is necessary for him. They also need to bo keon judges of human nature. "How do you feel now r ?" is the usual friendly beginning by the board; The soldier, if he has friends awaiting ashore and a good home to go to, may be trusted to reply cheerfully, "Fine, sir!" And the board; glancing again at his papers, showing that he has had a bad gruelling botween wintry weather and German shells, suggests that he should have some more hospital attention. "Can't t Co Home?" "Can't I go home?" asks the soldier earnestly. It is the question most frequently put to the board. Only in the worst caaes for further treatment is this pathetically-earnest request refused. A man set down for hospital treatment as an'in-patient is given a week's, sick leave, so that he may meet his friends, and feel that he is really at home once more. Whon it is a case for the hospital, the board discovers where the soldier intends to live upon discharge, or where his friends reside, and the nearest hospital, is set down on Ins certificate, ordering treatment. Sitting with the Provisional Board is the Public Health Department's representative, ready to note, the names and addresses of men ordered to be discharged, so that the Department may take up the responsibility for medical treatment of men after they have left the forces. The State does not dispose of its obligations by discharging a ttan with a pension. ■ Some guide to the Pensions Board is provided by the Provisional Board, with, its knowledge of the soldier's service, its expert judgment as to the amount of physical disability he has suffered through military service, and his condition at the time of returniug to New Zealand. These points are noted on the soldier's "file," and he goes to the next table for certificates, if he is required to undergo further treatment. Waiting for him are the dentists, who examine his mouth with an electric torch, calling out to assistants in technical language, the treatment which the soldier should receive to bring his. mouth into a condition as good as when he commenced to serve in the forces. The State is not willing to make all soldiers dentally perfect at its expense, but it will repair the ravages due to active service. Dentists in civil practice all over New Zealand are patriotically undertaking the treatment of soldiers at quite a nominal charge, which barely covers cost of material. The soldier needing dental attention is given a form which serves to introduce him to the secretary of the Dental Association in his own locality, and that officer will allocate the soldier to some member of the association for attention, if the soldier likes to nominate his own dentist, this is accepted, .and the work done at ihe State's charge. The proposed repairs have been charted, and the Defence Department thus has a check upon its liabilities under this heading. Loaded With Literature. Having been questioned, cross-ques-tioned, and examined by experts in a long line, the soldier is now glad to encounter the Discharged Soldiers' Information representatives, who content themselves with taking his name and future address, handing him pamphlets, one commencing attractively: "Land for Discharged Soldiers. An Opportunity! And How to Grasp It!" If the Soldier has to travel to seme inland place/he must have railway tickets, and possibly orders enabling him to stay over night at some hotel en route,' at the Government's cost. " His district military representative sees to these _ important matters of personal convenience, and, moving along in the procession, tho soldier conies to tho pay department, , where he sets an advance of £3 to

meet expenses during his first, few days ashore. The final settlement; of pay comes later. Pensions are not, much in his mind, lull an officer of that department takes his name and address, hands him a pensions pamphlet with the advice to put it in his pocket— lor the soldier is loaded up'with liters? ture b.v this time and is not likely to read much for a few weeks, and if he is recommended;for discharge, he goes before the District. Medical Board, which makes a careful examination prior to issuing the document making him a civilian once more. '\

Stationed at a strategic point along the line are the Base. Records clerks, who examine the soldier's "file," note what he has been ordered to do, and thus keep check upon the whole process, for this department—a creation of the war—is the clerical keystone of the elaborate organisation which has grown up to care for the returned soldier.

Free to Seo His Friends. When the soldier, escapes to the deck, he is carrying his advance of pay, a number of pamphlets, and Some certificates, wondering probably what has happened during the last half hour. Careful examination of hie papers will show him what has been ordered, for every decision is given him in definite terms, in writing. If discharge is the decision of the Medical Board, he finds that he holds a three weeks' free rail ticket, to travel where he likes in New Zealand, and that he will continue to draw the King's pay for a month. He may need a pension, if «i. he has an application form in his hand. He is perhaps anxious to get back into a civilian job. The literature he carries shows him how to get help in this direction, and lie ako has a. certificate entitling him to 30s. towards the cost of civilian clothing. Even, his baggage has been looked after, for he has had to label' it before the ship's arrival, and he holds a duplicate of the label which will entitle him to collect his effects at the railway station nearest his home. He is free now to look out for his waiting friends, and his baggnge will not he lost in the flurrv at the wharf, the military authorities having arranged that all soldiers enjoy the advantages of the checking system for their personal effects.

After the war, there will he the medal, but as a present reminder of duty well done he has a' new uniform, and another in good repair, as well as a complete outfit of underclothing and two pairs of hoots. Military uniform may onlv he iised by a discharged soldier with the permission of the District Commandant, and there will be manv future occasions when, the veteran will be proud' to again don the khaki.

To carry out all these processes for hundreds of men is n task of magnitude, and it is just as well that, the returned soldiers are coming hack in small hatches so far. They are giving (lie staffs experience, and the system is becoming perfect, though .jnrnrorements are under consideration all the time. One proposal is that the medical boarding shall take place, during the voyage, and only a confirmatorv boarding take place upon arrival. But the rest of the business is necessary unless New Zealand is to suffer the reproach of ceasing to care for its soldiers when they have done their share in the war.