MAIN BODY DRAFT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 139, 7 March 1919, Page 4

MAIN BODY DRAFT

THE MEN ABOARD THE HORORATA

MANY 1914-15 VETERANS ON,'

OTHER BOATS

The returning draft that is to reach Wellington on the transport Hororata on March 15 is being described as the Main body draft, but the official figures show that many of the men did not belong to the Skin Jiody or even to the earlier reinforcements. The total strength of the draft is 1503, andofthis number 1151 are 1014-15 men, and 1)52 left New Zealand in 1916 or Inter. A classification of the 1914-15 men is not available, and it cannot be stated just how ninny of the. men actually left with the..Main Body in 1914. But the Defence authorities have acknowledged that a substantial number of the 191 J men are not aboard the Horovatfl. and will arrive, therefore, in later transports. Probably there will be some of them aboard almost every transport reaching Now Zealand for some months to corae.

A suggestion has been made that when the Hororata reaches Wellington next week the 1914-15 men should be lauded first. 60 that they may be separated for the purpose of the public welcome from, thu 1916-17 men. It Iβ not known yet if this division will bo possible or if the Defence authorities will be prepared to make it. arrangement would coinnlicate the handling of the troops aboard the transport, and it might produce delay;-. If all the men land together, the IJM6-17 men aboard the Hororata will share the special welcome prepared for the "Main Body draft," while 1914 men o.i inter boats may receive no attention at nil.

The returned men belonging to the Main Body and the 1914-15 reinforcements will all be entitled to wear the 1914-15 ribbon, and if they are provided with this decoration the public will have no difficulty in distinguishing the veterans from Other returned men. But official information does not ahow that the ribbo.i has been issued to the men entitled to wear it, and some of the men may have omitted to obtain the ribbon on their own account. city's welcomelrrangements

DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL.

The arrangements for the welcome to be given to the boys of the Main Body when they arrive here were discussed at the meeting of the City Council last night. Councillor M'Kenzie asked whether t'.rrangements werft being made to give '.lie boys a warm welcome. Ho said that in other parts of New Zealand the boys were given a welcome which seemed to show that the people were glad to see them back. Here the reception was al- ' ways cold. On this occasion he would like to see the people of Wellington show that they had some warm blood in then veins. He thought perhaps it might be wise to call a public meeting. Councillor Barber said ho would be prepared to call a meeting-if the conusil " Councillor Wright said that there vas no need for anything of the sort. The scheme suggested by Councillor Barber ii few days ago in the newspapers was r-n. excellent one, which met with general approval. , ' Councillor Luckie said that the only way 'to work up popular enthusiasm was to have bands out and march the men along a fixed route in the city. Hefiicl not think the men would object to a short march through the streets. . Councillor Barber dissented strongly from this suggestion. He said that it had been bis privilege in the absence oi the Mayor to welcome returning troops, Mid he had been impressed by the eagerness of the men to be with their «l.v ■ions. Any scheme involving the detention of the men would not be approved j? them. He recalled the occasion when in the very early morning of a day in 1914 a large number of citizens went to he Heads to give a cheer to the boys i sthev sailed out of the harbour. He ;hought it would be fitting to we come hem in the same way. They would be leartbroken because they would be am in for 24 hours' quarantine. One day rhen he had been out to meet a ship the lovs had been unaware of the quarantine ule and they were very down-hearted, liev wei'e much cheered, however, by the klit of a band of school children going ,ver in a ferry boat to a picnio at Day s lav. A demonstration of welcome in Hie iarbour would cheer the Main Bodj uen a great deal. In the evening of the lay oil which they avrivedarrangeinents hould be made to give them ft. 'serenade." But on no account should my attempt be made to detain the men or ceremonial after they came urtiore. Every "t"™?*" «' vas to get away with his relatives as ;oon as he walked ashore. Eventually the council agreed to set vp he following make «■ 'inclrSidhadafewworde S reproach and that they welcomed he men well. He mentioned perheel"v the generous provision of motor-cars iWys available for men at the ships ;ide.