REPATRIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 106, 29 January 1919, Page 4

REPATRIATION

EVERY MAN IN HIS TURJf. An impression has arisen that it to only necessary to make special application for the return of a soldier to secure his repatriation out of his turn. There are some classes of men who will come back out of the strict order. These were enumerated recently by the Minister of Defence. But v.ith these- exceptions, there are serious objections to bringing back any man out of his turn, as not only does such a course prevent some other man from being returned who from long service ought to be returned but it also causes dissatisfaction in the group of men from which he lias been picked out for return in priority ■to the rest. The policy of the Government is to bring back first those men who have had the longest service, and that no man can be specially returned cut of that order unless specific reasons are shown arising out of death or serious illness, or other calamity—reasons which had not been in. existence when the :nan joined the service or left New Zealand. The reasons, in brief, should be such that had they existed before the man left this country, he would have been rble to secure release from service by appealing to a military service board.