SAILING TO-DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 96, 17 January 1919, Page 6

SAILING TO-DAY

STRANDED AUSTRAL'ANS AID TO NEEDY PASSENGERS The urgent message of the Acting Prime Minister regarding the carriage home of stranded Australians brought a prompt reply from the Australian Government. The Federal Government undertook to pay all the expenses incidental to the quarantining of tho passengers. The Acting Prime Minister in another message explains also the reasons for the apparent lack' of consideration shown by his Government in connection with the matter. Ho expressed appreciation of the consideration being shown to Australians by Sir James Allen.

The stranded passengers are now to sail by the Tofua this afternoon, and they will be landed at Adelaide. .Mosi of them will then be very far from their own homes, but they hope to get assistance frpm the Federal Government to,get to Sydney or Melbourne. - The Tofua is taking on cargo at Adelaide, and will in any case be subject to delay, so that it is not a very serious matter if she has to be quarantined. There was a certain amount of risk in sending the Ulimaroa, because with a number of people on board such as there would have been, illness might have broken out, and the ship might have been delayed en the Australian coast. To use the Tofua is considered a safer arrangement, in view of the urgency of the Ulimaroa's mission to India and Mesopotamia. Mr: Walter Jago, chairman of the committee set up by the stranded penpie, said that the Mayor had advanced 'in all the sum of £123 to help his fellow Australians to pay their fares. He expressed the highest appreciation of the readiness' of the Mayor to help them all. Mr. Luke had made no difficulties about assisting anybody in need of help so soon as he was satisfied that" they were bonarfide applicants. In the case of the men he had accepted their note of hand as security for repayment, but in the cane of women in need the help had been given by the Mayor without any condition as to repayment. Mr. Jago said that the whole company were most grateful to the Mayor and the Town Clerk for assistance, to the New Zealand Government, and_ the Acting Prime Minister, for having dono so much to secure passage for them on a transport, and to the Press for having drawn public attention to their case.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR RETURN. Melbourne, .January 16. An arrangement has heen completed between the Commonwealth &nd New Zealand Governments for the return of the Australians stranded in New Zealand, the Commonwealth undertaking to bear the expense of quarantine.— Press. Assn.