NORTHUMBERLAND'S DRAFT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 194, 12 May 1919, Page 4

NORTHUMBERLAND'S DRAFT

1330 MEN FROM SLING CAMP,

The Northumberland, with 1330 New Zealand troops on board from, the United Kingdom, was passed as a clean ship, and berthed at the Glasgow Wharf at 7.20 on Saturday morning. The whole of the draft comprises Fit A men, drawn from Sling Cninp. Tho voyage out was an excellent one. The Northumberland epent a day at Newport News coaling her bunkers. The troops were accorded the customary hospitality when passing through iho Panama Canal,' much fruit being sent on board, including 700 pineapples from tho American Y.M.C.A. When the troopship drew alongsido tne wharf the men were heartily cheered .by those i who had assembled to meet them. Tho Patriotic Society's Band played Felections, which brightened the occasion. The disembarkation was most expeditious and satisfactory. The Auckland and South leland men'were disembarked by one gangway and tho Wellington men by another, and as directions had been posted up ehowmp! this, next-of-kiu had no difficulty in identifying the men they were looking for. The whole disembarkation of 1330 men, together with their luggage, was carried out in just under, twenty minutes, constituting a fresh ■Dominion record, Tho Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G.) was present, mid had the previous afternoon sent gifts of fruit oil board from tho Mayor's Patriotic Fund. , The • members of the Voluntary Motor Corps, under Cnpiain Pryor, earned tho grateful thanks of tho men and then? next-of-kin in motoring them wherever they wanted to go. The Wninirapa- Hawke's Bay, "aranaki, and Manawalu men left by the ordinarv express (rains, and tho Auckland men l)y separate express at 10 a.m. The Otago and Southland men went eouth at night, and tho Picton, Blenheim, Nelson, and West port men will leave by the ■ Paieena to-day.