THE MEN IN EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 6

THE MEN IN EGYPT

WHY THEY DO NOT COME HOME. .Complaints have.been made by correspondents that tbe Government is displaying apathy regarding the men left in Egypt, the men who have served through th« campaign in .Palestine. Tho Minister of Defence gave ilia ; assurance some days ago that tho Government, on tho contrary, was deeply concerned about these men, and liad made repeated applications that shipping sjiould be provided to bring them home. The shipping has not been provided. The Suez Canal route is jio. longer a trade route to New' Zealand, and steamers do not pass by which our men may travel. It seems to bo impossible at present to get spccial ships for the transport of the men. The Government, we are informed, knows nothing. altout the reasons why the men aro not being transported from Egypt, except the reason that frhips aro not available. It is probable that tha New Zealanders were held there, with .othor British 6oldiers, at the time of tho native disturbances several weeks ago, and that if ships had then been available the soldiers would still have been kept there. In tha meantime there bave been evidences that partial demobilisation jias been going on, because some men have advised their people that they going to England on leave. The arrangement is that ten per cent, of the New Zealanders in Egypt are to jbe given leave in England, and they will return to New Zealand without going back to Egypt.