ON THE TRANSPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1994, 24 June 1919, Page 1

ON THE TRANSPORT.

SETTLING SOLDIERS’ ACCOUNTS. Wellington, This Day. During this year, the Defence Department brought into operation a system of paying returning soldiers on the transport so as to enable them generally to leave for their homes with almost the whole of the money due to them up till the date of their discharge. This is another chain in the series of arrangements designed to complete the demobilisation process with the arrival of the transport in New Zealand. On each transport leaving England is placed the Active Service Pay-cards of the men embarked. A pay staff comprising one pay clerk for every three hundred men travels on the vessel, and the pay books are collected at embarkation so as to be brought up to date during the voyage. Every account is made up to a date 40 days later than the date of leaving England,, this being (he approximate duration of the voyage. At least one pay is made in cash during tire trip, generally just before arriving at the first port of call, and just prior to disembarkation the balance of active service pay due to the soldier, plus an advance of £lO in the case of officers and nurses, or £5 to other ranks, together with the pay books, is handed over. Thus the troops land fully paid up to a date 40 days later than their departure from England, and with a.n advance which is covered by the period of their leave on full pay, leaving them, as a rule, with a small credit to collect from the Pay Branch of the Department, at (heir discharge.

Unless there is a heavy run of disembarkations, the Pay Office is able to make up the soldier’s account complete to (he date of discharge about ton days after arrival, the credit balance being remitted to him by warrant to the address given by the soldier before disembarkation. There are some cases of delay where, owing to the records from abroad coming to hand in an incomplete state, various impiiries have jo lie made, hut in the main the Defence Department has evolved a system of rapidly clearing up its pay obligations to the returning soldier.