WAR OVER FOR OUR BOYS.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 January 1919, Page 5

WAR OVER FOR OUR BOYS.

MAORIS RETURNING EARLY. NEW ZEALANDERS ON THE MOVE. LONDON, January 21 The news of the decision that the war was over for Australians and New Zealanders, whatever may occur, was received" with the utmost satisfaction. An Australian corps is still stationed in the Charleroi and Dinant districts, and is mostly comfortably billeted in towns and villages. Even the privates have the luxury of a bed after their strenuous •• "npaigning and constant movement. The soldiers find the people extremely hospitable, in contrast to others in various places in France and Belgium where is a tendency to exploit the soldiers. The Belgian people just released from the Hun invasion greeted the Australians with the greatest cordiality. One frequently sees an Australian taking a Belgian family, including father,, mother and children, to the local military cinema show.

The New Zealand Division remains in the neighbourhood of Cologne, and the Maori battalion has been reassembling at Dunkirk, with" a view of repatriation in a body. It is likely that the New Zealanders will shortly move towards the coast near Havre, with a view of facilitating their demobilisation. The French railways are congesting, but through trairfi, composed of ambulance cars now converted into sleepers, are running from Germany to- the coast with a view of bringing out all the remaining 1915 Australians, numbering 12,000. It has been arranged that one thousand still cross the Channel from Havre to Weymouth every three days, being replaced by the latest reinforcements. It has also been decided that all Australians ■shall embark for home from English ports. Thirteen thousand five hundred departed in December in fifteen steamers and eight steamers sailed in January, carrying 6500. The total so far shipped is over 20,000. Probably the departures average 500 daily. An official circular to the troops explains that three factors govern repatriation. First, length of service: second, whether the soldier is married or single; and third, whether the soldier has employment waiting for him in Australia. There are 70,000 Australians who enlisted in 1916, 30 000 who enlisted in 1917. and 15.000 who enlisted in 1918. Special cases are being considered on eommonsense lines. Many whose affairs justify early return are being included in~tho boats shortly sailing. The scheme of general demobilisation will soon be in full swing. Each division is sending away one thousand men every ten or twelve days. There is some dissatisfaction among the nurses and doctors regarding repatriation, but it will be moothed out when all concerned thoroughly understand the scheme. The three great Australian hospitals at Boulogne. Abbeville, and Eouen and the New Zealand hospitals at Broekenhurst and AValton-on-Thames will shortly be closing.