RETURNING SOLDIERS.

Otaki Mail, 13 January 1919, Page 4

RETURNING SOLDIERS.

THE LATEST ARRANGEMENTS. WHEN NAMES ARE AVAILABLE., Close, to the shores of New Zealand, or to be on the' water by February 10th, are 10,;">00 Jfcw Zealand soldiers returning from England. There are also three ships en route from Egypt with New Zealandors, carrying about 1400 men, and due about the end of this month. Publication of these facts usually results in the B;i«o Records Department being deluged with inquiries from the relatives of soldiers as to whether their particular kinsman is on board one of the ships. This is a vain and fruitless (ask. disappointing to the relatives and : ~<o to a Department anxious to oblige thorn with nqws, lor tho information is ~.; available until a short time before (lie arrival of the transport, and immediately it comes it is sent out to the next of kin. It is always possible to forward tins embarkation a transport ahead of the ship, and the information arrives in ample time to enable relatives to .make arrangements for j the reception ot their soldier friends. ' But until Biij iJccords receives th? embarkation state it is in no better position than the iclative- to siy whether particular men arc on any ship. Fourteen days before the probable | date of the arrival of a transport, a j notice is sent to the soldier's next of kin, stating that he will arrive within the next fortnight. Relatives should await the arrival of this notification, -for earlier inquiries will produce negative results, simply causing congestion of work' in a busy Department. Finally, from the first port of arrival of the vessel, a telegram is sent to the next of kin'stating that he will reach his home by a particular train, or if immediate hospital treatment is advisable, the telegram will give the relatives this information.