ARRIVED HOME

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10277, 12 May 1919, Page 4

ARRIVED HOME

NORTHUMBERLAND'S DRAFT DISEMBARKS.

On Saturday draft No. 243 disembarked ironi tiie troopship Northumberland at the King's -wharf. The vessel, which had a complement of sb' officers and 1280 other ranks, under'the charge of Lieutenant-Oolonel G. Mitchell, D. 5.0.. arrived in the stream the previous afternoon, and was berthed at 7.20 o'clock on Saturday morning. Captain G. Prictor, military landing officer, had charge of the disembarkation arrangements, and so expeditiously was the work carried out that all the men wore away from tho ship in twenty minutes. ■ Two gangways were utilisea, ono for the. Wellington men and another for the Auckland and South Island contingents. Despite tho early hour, there was a large gathering of relations and friends to welcome the soldiers home. The Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) and the Mayoress were present, and the Patriotic Society's Band played appropriate airs. The previous evening the Mayor and Mayoress's committee had sent a quantity of cigarettes, tobacco, and fruit out to the Northumberland for distribution, and the consideration shown was much appreciated by the men. The voluntary motor corps had seventy cars in attendance, under Captain W. Prior, and the men were conveyed io their homes, the railway stations, or to billets as necessary with the utmost dispatch. The Wairarapa men went forward by the morning express, 150 departed by tho New Plymouth train, over 100 by the Napier train, and a special train left for Auckland at 10.30 o'clock with over 500. The South Island quota, numbering 80, left by the Mararoa on Saturday night, and tho men for Picton and Nelson, who remained in Wellington ever the week-end, are leaving for their destinations to-daj.

The Mararoa, which arrived from Lyttedton on Saturday morning, had on board 70 men for tho Wellington and Auckland districts w'ho came, back by tho Kia Ora. They were met by the Mayor and Mayoress, .and were regaled with cigarettes, tobacco, and" fruit, while the Patriotic Society's baud played tunes of welcome. The Auckland men continued their journey by the special train, nrid those for the city were tnken to their homes in motor-cars.