SOLDIERS AND WIVES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 289, 2 September 1919, Page 4

SOLDIERS AND WIVES

ATHENIC'S DRAFT ARRIVES. The Athenic with draft No. 277 oil board arrived in the stream at 12.15 p.m. yesterday, and berthed at tho Queen's Wharf at 3.15 p.m. Her complement comprised 112 troops, 358 wives, and 70 children. The vessel left Plymouth on Jlllv 11, and made her voyage to New Zealand via tho Panama Canal, touching at Newport News en route. Throughout the trip was uneventful, and there was no sickness on board. On arrival yesterday the vessel was met bv Brigadier-General 0. S. Richardson, who extended a cordial welcome to the men and women. As the troops left the ship fruit and cigarettes were distributed bv a commitiee of ladies under the direction of (lie Mayoress (Mrs. Luke). There was a great crowd of next-of-kin and l'rionds on the'wharf, and the Patriotic Society's Band, which was in attendance. rendered appropriate airs. The soldiers' wives, especially, received a lieartv welcome, and were showered with confetti as they proceeded from the wharf. The wives and children were subsequently entertained at the Esperanto Hal] bv the Sailors' and Soldiers' Wives' Club of the Women's National Reserve. '

Onlv Wellington nnd Nelson troops left the vessel yesterday, the disembarkation being supervised by the Military Landing Officer, Captain 6. Prictor. Owing to the Athenic being in ballast trim she towered for a considerable hcicrht above tho wharf, and the descent down the gangway was very fteei). This caused some little delay in effecting the transfer of the women and children, nnd made tho work of disembarkation rather slower than would otherwise have been tho case. Notwithstanding the difficulties. Captain Prictor's staff did excellently. and all the Wellington and Nelson people wero off the ship within an hour. Actually, the details for Wellington were all ashore 11/ twenty minutes. As on previous occasions, the Voluntary Motor Corps, under tho direction 'of Captain W. Prvor and Mr. H. J. Stott, performed excellent service in transporting the Wellington men to their homes. The Nelson district men left by the Ifaitoa last <!vemn<r. the remainder being billeted on lioard until to-day. General leave was given after the Wellington and Nelson men had disembarked. Tho details for Auckland nnd district will leave by special train from Thorndom at 12.30 p.m. to-day. those for Palmerston North, Wanganui. New Plymouth, Napier, nnd Glslwrne will travel by the mail train leaving at 8.20 a.m., the Napier and Gi6borne men connecting with another train at Palmerston: and those for stations between Wellington and Longburn will leave at 8 a.m. Picton and Blenheim details will leave by tho Manourika tomorrow at noon, the other South Island men proceeding on to Lyttelton by the Athenic, which is to leave at .7 a.m. today.