NEW ZEALAND DIVISION

Taihape Daily Times, 17 March 1919, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND DIVISION

NEWS PROM GENERAL GODLEY

“FLOURISHING AND HAPPY.”

WELLINGTON, March 15

The New Zealand troops are the I subject of letters received by the Min- | ister for Defence from General God- | ley. Writing on January 21, General Godley said: —I have just come back from a visit to the New Zealand Division at Cologne, and I am glad to be able to tell you that I found them very flourishing and happy. In a letter written at Mons on December 31, General Godley said: This place is full of returned prisoners and only this morning I have been seeing a lot of them. Their accounts of their treatment vary considerably, but there is no doubt that, especially at the beginning, a great many were disgracefully treated. On the other hand, there are others who say that they were well treated. You will be interested as an old artilleryman to know that within the last week I inspected on one occasion eight horse batteries of heavy artillery, Sin howitzers, and sixty-pounders, and on another occasion five brigades. That is, 20 batteries on parade—the two largest assemblages of heavy artillery I believe, and have been told by gunners that have ever been got together in the history of the Royal Regiment of Artilery. General Godley refers to the cablegram sent by the Minister of Defence authorising the expenditure of '£so,000 on the education scheme for soldiers. So says he does not think so much money will be required. In view uf the early demobilisation of the troops, and the position generally, there will be no question of spending any very large sum of money on education. But be has told General Richardson not to stint - expenditure on anything the troops require. “In accordance with the instructions and authority you gave me when I I left Now Zealand,” adds General 1 Godley, “I have set up a board of sei nior officers for the disposal of stores, ! and everything is well in train.”