BACK FROM THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10292, 29 May 1919, Page 5

BACK FROM THE WAR

SOLDIERS LANDED AT WELLINGTON. A draft of returned soldiers was landed at the Glasgow wharf yesterday morning from the troopship Rimutaka. The vessel, which was expected to arrive on Tuesday anchored in - the stream at 7.30 o’clock that evening. The Health Officer went out to,the ship at 7 o’clock yesterday morning, but as everything was not quite satisfactory from a Health point of view, he would not declare the vessel clean until he had a conference with the authorities. Pratique was granted at 10.15 o’clock, and the Rimutaka berthed at 11.20 at the Glasgow wharf, where a large crowd had gathered to welcome the men home. Captain Printer (military la' officer) hadi everything in readiness for disembarking the men expeditiously as soon as the Rimutaka came alongside the wharf, and so well was the work carried out that the last man was off the ship by 11.40 o’clock. The Patriotic Society’s Band was in, attendance, and played suitable music, while a committee of ladies presented cigarettes to the men as they came down the gangway. A number of motor-cars were provided by the Volunteer Motor Corps, under Captain W. Pryor, and shortly after their arrival the soldiers and their relations were conveyed to their destinations. The Rimutaka had a complement of /21 of all ranks, 140 of whom were for Wellington and 105 for the Canterbury and Otago districts. The men for the, Hawke's Bay district left by the-afternoon train for Palmerston North, where they were billeted for ■-the'night; the Auckland men went away by the second express ; and the Nelson and Marlborough men by the Pateena. The Wairarapa and Wellington district contingents also left by train during the afternoon. Owing to there being no ferry steamer for" Lyttelton last night, the South Island men were billeted at tha Bristol Hotel, and are to leave this evening by the Mararoa.