REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 104, 27 January 1919, Page 6

REPATRIATION

CONSTANT STREAM OF AUSTRALIANS

TREATMENT OF CLAIMS FOR PREFERENCE

By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, January 22. The stream of 'Australians going to England is now constant. It, is estimated that it occupies weeks lor a soldier to leave his unit in Belgium and embark , at an English port for Australia. Batches of one thousand men from each division are already en route to England. The men remaining with their units in the field have protested against men on leave being granted preference of repatriation. They found that many' of their comrades , who departed for fourteen days' lea.ve did not return to their battalions. The authorities are therefore abandoning extensions of leave in which a proportion. of men on the conclusion of their leave in England are able to stato their claims for early repatriation. Many bogus claims by men who only wished to secure a few extra days' leave have been discovered. It has been decided that men who do not present special claims (which are considered without delay), must take their place in the repatriation "quoue" from their own units. Thus the scheme will operate fairly throughout. Every available berth to Australia will be utilised, small parties being placed aboard mail steamers at the last moment where the accommodation is not all occupied. The Ceramic has sailed with a full complement of' Australians.—Au.-N.Z. Cable Assn.