"BOARDING" SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 146, 15 March 1919, Page 8

"BOARDING" SOLDIERS

e g OTHER COUNTRIES' ARRANGEMENTS. s Though some section of (he public e Me inclined to become Testivo over the t delay in tho disembarkation of our ret tamed solcliprs, owing to Hie dcmobii- ligation procedure curried nut on arrival, e there is so much advantage to be gainy ed by (he soldier through the compley tion of this necessary process before he e leaves the ship that .in his own inter- £ ests the Defence authorities at this end >- have to be satisfied tbat the work is s thoroughly done. To make the task 'f easier on Arrival romplete printed in--1 structions were sent lo England, and a > few experienced Ba=e I'ccords officials 0 were placed at the disposal of tho New ». Zealand Expeditionary Force authoriii ties at Home for the purpose of training those who undertake the demobilisation process on the voyage. There has been i, a misunderstanding over the first ship on whie.h the new scheme was tried, but J the Defence authorities suggest that if the critical section of the public had '> to meet the expense and face the com- * plaints which would arise through abandoning the pre-disembarkation system, " they would speedily be convinced that » existing plans are on tho right line*. . Once the New Zealand S'lldier leaves the j transport, ho is free to look after his . own personal affairs. He need not go _ near a' Defence office again except once, " when'lie returns his greatcoat, and receives tho mufti allowance, and if it is more convenient lie manage tills transaction throna'li the post. .Comparison with the methods of de- , mobilisation adopted by other ove.vseas ' British Dominions shows that, even under Hie conditions prevailing on the . Port Melbourne, our men are subject lo t less delay and' trouble than their coni--1 rades bt' the Australian and Canadian i Force.?. Australians have to proceed to a_ demobilisation camp after disembarkn- | tion—they cannot po straight to their relatives from the ship—while tho Canaj dian system involves the men in even ' mora delay after disembarkation. The , Canadian Soldiers' Handbook states that I the troops must proceed from the ship I To n clearing depot at Halifax, St. John, ! or Quebec. "At these clearing depots;" states th». Handbook, "ail ranks not re- : quiring immediate hospital treatment , will be given furlough of tiro weeks to | proceed to their homes, and will have prepared for them by the clearing depot staff the following:—Furlough form, cheque for funds while on furlough, and ' transport warrant." AVhen the men are . dispatched from .the clearing depot they are informed tbat they must not leave the train except at tho point (it which their homes are situated. At the end of his fortnight's furlough, ■ tho soldier has to to his nearest 1 military district headquarters, and as ' there are only thirteen for the whole of i that vast Dominion tue amount of trav--1 elling to be done by tho soldier before > he can complete his discharge can be J imagined. New Zealanders, thanks to ' the system which is condemned by those 1 who do not realise tbat (lie State's obligations to the soldier liavo to bo > promptlv met, go from the transport 1 with definite information as to the date ' of their discharge, money for temporary needs, travelling warrants for tho en- [ joyment of their month's leave on full ! pay, and full information regarding their pension rights and tho facilities to aid them in renbsorption into the community. Tie fit man, onca clcar of the ■ sliip, is clear of the Army.