THE AJANA'S DRAFT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 156, 27 March 1919, Page 4

THE AJANA'S DRAFT

SOLDIER 'LOST OVERBOARD.

By Toleeraph-Press Association.

Auckland, March 26. The contingent of 890 returned soldiers of all ranks which, arrived «t Auckland yesterday by the transport Ajana was disembarked at tho Queen's Wharf Ihis morning, after the vessel had underdone the customary period of quarantine. All of the medical boarding and clerical work incidental to the demobilisation of the draft had been satisfactorily carried out during the voyage, so that the tioops wero able to wind immediately the transport came alongside the wharf. As the Ajana came to her berth the other vessels lying at the wharves sounded their eirens in welcome, and choers were Riven by the crowds 'of uext-of-kin gathered on the wharf. . ' With the exception 01 about seven sntferers from mumps, who wero taken to tho hospital annexe, tho whole of the contingent has arrived in. good health. During the voyage there have been eli'ht outbreaks of lnuiups in a mild epidemic form, "but otherwise the whole voyage shows ,a clean bill of health. 5> Very rough weather was encountered for a fortnight after leaving Liverpool, and in the height of one of the storms tho vessel's foremast was etruck , by lightning, but beyond the eplittiud of the top of the mast slightly, no damage was done. Bad weather was ogaiET encountered about five days out from New Practically the whole of the draft is classed "B," that is just unfit for active service. Home two hundred of the soldiers did not reach I ranee; and have returned from England. A sad occurrence was the death by drowning of Lance-Corporal Philip John Haitnett. who was lost overboard on March 17. The deceased soldiers next-of-kin is his brother, Mr. H. Eartnett, of Wanganui. . Educational training was carried out duriiw .Hie voyage, with a fair amount of success. Lieutenant Hawke, of Dimedin, a graduate of Otngo University, had charge of the classes, which were attended by a fair proportion of the soldiers. Lieutenant Hawko states that the training would have met with a larger measure of success had it been ot !i inoro practical nature.