GETTING OUT OF CAMP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 51, 25 November 1918, Page 6

GETTING OUT OF CAMP

FROM KHAKI TO "CIVVIES"

STEADY PROGRESS OP . DEMOBILISATION

Demobilisation is proceeding at the camps at 11 rate whieii must in the circumstances bo considered satisfactory, although at other times, and under other circumstances, the rate would have to'> ba cunsidered slow. At the time when tho arrangements for releasing all Hie men should have been engaging tho attention of everybody in authority caine the epidemic, ami the care of the sick demanded first attention. Consequently tho organisation was not complete as soon as was required. There imvo bseu changes of policy also. Owing to the sickness it was at first announced that every man would have to' go into isolation for a period of eight days, inorder that there might be no risk of the sickness being spread by soldiers mingling with tne civilian population. That rule was never put into operation. Tho practice now is to release every man in his turn, provided he is lit ana well. Men who have been ill go through a period of seven days' convalescence, and then, they are allowed to go as soon as the arrangements for their release can be made. Before he goes every man has to undergo a medical examination. His temperature is taken, and if it is not absolutely normal he has to stay. A medical onicer also makes a rapid examination of every man. Then every man luis to be examined by a dental officer. The Department does not guarantee to every man a mouthful of teeth in perfect repair when ho leaves camp, but work that has been begun must be finished. For instance, if a man has had teeth drilled preparatory to having fillings made in them, the fillings have to be put in before the man is allowed to go. So also if a man has had so many teeth drawn that a, plate is needed, the man must stay ill camp until the denture can be made and fitted.

Next in order among the things that a man has to do before he gets out is that of returning all the Government property that has been issued to him. There are scores of articles in his kit, and every soldier's goods have to be checked with the list, of the articlesarms and equipment—originally supplied to him. It' there are deficiencies the soldier must pay for articles missing, the method of settlement being to charge the amount against pay that is due. It is not quite a simple matter to charge for these deficiencies, because there is no constant value for everything. Arms are always charged for at the same rate, but on every, piece of clothing issued there is depreciation, varying according to the time that has elapsed since the article was issued. In almost every case there are shortages. Sometimes the soldier has lost part of his kit, but more often he elects to keep some of his issue stuff. Lots 'of men take will} them a pair of "Massey" boots. Even at the new price of 225, a pair; these are oxcellent value. This work of debiting the soldier with the amount due for shortage is done quickly, but it occupies a minute or two for every man. The soldier then has to go to the paymaster armed with the quartermaster's certificate that ho has returned all Government property in his posse.ssion, with or without shortages as the case may be. The business of getting tho money due is a simple ,one, and delays are usually short' at the paj; office. When the soldier has finished with the paymaster he is «|iiare with the Government, and all he requires are his discharge certificate and his- railway ticket to go to his homo. These he gets very quickly, and with these in his possession he may walk past the guard at tho main gate of the camp a. free man. None of the branch offices at the camps is nearly .big enoagh for tho 'handling of such large bodies of men as have 2iow to be handled daily, and the institutes built by the different religious organisations for the benefit of the men have been requisitioned. Staffs have been increased by the addition to them of noncommissioned officers and men with the necessary clerical or other experience. The soldier has to go id half-a-dozen different places in this laborious business of getting out of camp, and if there is to be reasonable dispatch it is essential that every office shall be prepared to rcceivo him and to deal with hjiu. Consequently it is necessary that arrangements shall bo made in advance as to who shall be the men to be demobilised every day. Tho task of demobilising thousands of men is really a very big one, and it cannot all be done at once. The epidemic lias laid low some of the men who should have had a to do with preparing for the work and for tho carrying of it through. Preparations httvo been delayed in consequence. But the existence of the sickness has given the authorities breathing time, because so many of tho men are not in fit condition to leave the camp. Had they been all fit and well there would have been a great deal of impatience. Thero is impatience now, but it is not nearly so serious as it otherwise would have been.

It is not unnatural for the soldier to think that as soon- as he gets his discharge papers ho should be ablo to get his business dono right rway, Init in j,ho course of his travels lie finds- that there is really a great deal to ■Iμ done, and always at every office he has to wait hie turn in queue. Ho is lucky if he gets his discharge certificate within four hours after setting out. The work is being pushed on, and it is in capable hands. Tho man who is himself courteous meets with courtesy and help everywhere. About three hundred discharges a dny is the standard aimed at in Trentham, and when tho machinery lias run for another day or two this figure will certainly be touched. The camp will bo almost empty of fit men by tho end of next week. At present the order of precedence for release is as follows:-— (1) Men whoso families aro sick. (2) Men required in essential industries. (3) Other men by seniority of reinforcement. Men who have had bad news from homo get out at once, with as little delay as possible. Essential men may or may not —mostly not—get out with little delay. Unless there is a big push coining from somewhere an "essential" man .runs a fair risk of having to wait his turn. If employers want men in a hurry they would bo wise to push hard. Tho man himself can do nothing in camp. In Trentham Camp the Forty-fourth Deiiiforcement gets out first. Most of the fit ■' men of this draft must already be out. Tlio Forty-fifths will como next, and the Fiftieths next. In Featherston the s«uue rules will be observed. A man released is given a "Certificate of Leave in Lieu of Discharge." It is printed in red on stout paper, and it will bo a durable document. If tho Geiynans should ever fight again, the holders of these certificates are liable for service again, but every, intelligent man knows what that risk is. Every soldier is given a free warrant to take him to his home, and a fortnight's pay in advance. In two weeks aftei , discharge fi further fortnight's pay will be sent to him at his home. This means that every man receives a month's extra pay on leaving camp.