RETURNING SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17689, 29 July 1919, Page 3

RETURNING SOLDIERS

-.» ARRIVAL OF CHUPRA.

INCIDENT'S OP THE VOYAGE. (Pkb Uxitjed Press Assooiatios.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 28. Tho transport Chupra berthed <tt n<xm and was declared a " clean" sliip. Tho southern men loft for their homes by a special train. Tho vessel left Tilbury docks on Juno 8, and had a. fairly good trip until Port Said ■was reached. The next port of call was Colombo, and about .halfway across the Indian Ocean tho vessel ran into a monsoon and all on board had a fairly rough tune for ■ three days. Tho Chupra is a vessel of about 6000 tons register, belonging to the British India Company, and sho possesses no refrigerating space. This fact was given as the reason why she came out via Suez instead of through the Panama Canal. '" They are the most contented and best behaved lot of .men I liove over had anything to do with," said Major J. Evans, M.0., officer commanding tho troops on hoard. The vessel is most unsuited for a troopship, as it has practically no deck, but the men made tho most of their time and contrived to get a good deal of pleasure out of the voyage. There was no sickness on board, and the food was stated to have been good from London to Port Said and from Colombo to New Zealand, but between. Port Said nnd Colombo tho meat was affected by the heat, aud the men could not cat it. Apart from this the man had no complaints to make except that thev did not like tho way they wero cooped up, with practically no opportunity of getting any exercise. Before reaching Colombo Major Evans sent a wireless message asking that arrangements be made to give the men a good time. The Government ran a special train out to Candy, a distanco of 68 miles, free of charge, and the Y.M.C.A. made arrango- , ments to supply the men with meals. About 350 men took part in the trip, and they > stato they had a thoroughly enjoyable time. The remainder stayed at Colombo, where they were looked' after by the Y.M.C.A. authorities, who provided entertainments and meals, and took,many of the men for drives through the town to the surrounding villages. Before leaving Colombo the Australian Y.M.C.A. put on board a quantity of fruit, magazines, cigarettes, etc., which were greatly appreciated. At Fremantle the men were given one day's leave and the Australian people gave them a right royal time. After leaving Fremantle the Chu-pra had a straight run to Lyttelton, but bad weather was experienced while coming through the Australian Bight. VESSEL'S FAULTY ACCOMMODATION. PETITION TO HEADQUARTERS. (Pm United Pbess Assooiatioh.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 28. The quarters and accommodation on tho Chupra were such that the _ n.0.0.'5, numbering 64, are forwarding petitions to the. Minister of Defence and General Richardson, asking that in consideration of the conditions under which the sergeants were placed on board the boat each member of tho mess should receive a sum of money representing the difference between the . charge for second and third class passages. OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND MEN. ARRIVAL IN DUNEDIN. The special train conveying the Otago and- Southland section of the soldiers who returned to tho dominion in the troopship Chupra arrived in Dunedin at 11.5 p.m. yesterday. 'Captain Weir was in charge_ of the draft, and the men were met on arrival by Lieutenant M'Carthy. For stations north of Dunedin there were 49 men, 142 were for Dunedin and suburbs, and 214 are for the : south. The majority of- the men who reside in the city were conveyed to their homes by motor car, by courtesy of the Otago Motor Club, and the southern men were billeted in hotels m the city, and the' major portion of them will go south by the 7.30 a.m. train to-day. When the train reached Port Chalmers Jhe Mayor, several members of the Borough Council, and a number of other gentlemen met the local men and conveyed them to their homes in motor cars. MATATUA'S DRAFT. Tho Matatua's draft, which is expected to reach Auckland on August 8, contains the following officers and the following men of oilier ranks belonging to South Canterbury, Cjtago, and Southland: — Williams; A. 8., Major, 0.C., Auckland. Stout, R., Major, Wellington. Bird, J., Capatin, Westport. Gliristie, W. E., Captain, Mornington. Ingram, C, Captain (M.C.), Kaipara. Moncrieff, E. G., Captain (M.0.), Morrinsville. Walker, G-, Captain, England. Aitken, C, Temp. Captain, Mosgiel. * Langdon, H., Lieutenant, Waitekauri. Le Petit, N. V., Lieutenant, Auckland. Browne, L. H., 2/Lieut. (M.C.), Auckland. Clarke, J. C. K., 2/Lieut., Te Kuiti. Gumming, W., 2/Lieut., Gisborne. Dowar, O. 8., 2/Lieut. (M.M.), Auckland. Edrriond, P., 2/Lieut., Auckland. Fooks, E. L., 2/Lieut., Auckland. Mine, C. P., 2/Lieut., Tauranga. Jomison, C. H., 2/Lieut, Tauranga. Moore, W. A., 2/Lieut. (M.M.)), Auckland. Pascoe, T., 2/Lieut., Frankton Junction. Pviii'f, J. A. P., 2/Lieut. (M.M.), Whangarei. Tresiddor, A. L., 2/Lieut., Auckland. Twiname, C. W., 2/Lieut., Auckland. Jones, C. M., Rev., New Plymouth. Taylor, W. R., Y.M.C.A. Secy., Wellington. OTHER RANKS. Abernethy, N., T/Sergeant, Dunedin. Armstrong, J., Tapanui. Arnold, 0. F., Sergeant, Dunedin. 1 Barry, R., W. 0.1, InvercargilL Broad, E., Waiwera South. Davis, M. H., Sergeant, Dunedin. Dunford, C. C, Corporal, Seaward Downs. Frampton, R., Ashburton. Hall, W. H., Roslyn. Hatheway C, Timaru. Kinsella, J., Temuka. Kitchen, M., Dunedin. Mills, J. G., Corporal, Palroerston.» O'Donnell, R., Corporal, Invercargill. Patcrson, T., W. 0.1, Roslyn. Paull, R. L., S/Sergeant, Wyndham. Popplewell, K. H., Sergeant, Dunedin. Rickua," T. P., Temuka. Shepherd, M. N., Dunedin. Walsh, G R., Sergeant, Dunedin. Watson, S. J., Dunedin.

TRANSPORTS EN ROUTE. (Pbb United Peess Association.) WELLINGTON, July 28. The Ellenga left Suez on July 23 with 1105 troops arid 11 women and children. She is duo in New Zealand on August 28.This draft practically completes tho return of tho men from Ecrypt, those remaining comprising three officers and 17 men of other ranks. The Port Hacking, which was scheduled to reach Lyttelton on August 14, has been reported at Colon. The date of hor arrival in New Zealand is now fixed for August 16. The troopship Cordoba, bringing draft 278 consisting of 32 officers and 632 of other ranks, is -expected in Wellington on August 30.