New Zealand.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 302, 31 May 1915, Page 6

New Zealand.

letters' for new zeaLANDERS. CARE OF THE WOUNDED. STATEMENT~BY~MR. JiLLEN. REASSURING TO RELATIVES. Wellington, Last Night. A cablegram received by the Minister for Defence to-day from the officer commanding the New Zealand base at Alexandria, answered many questions that" are being asked by the relatives and friends of the men at theflfront.Tlie Minister cabled to this officer on May '24, asking liiiu if letters and telegrams addressed to the New /ealanders' base would be forwarded to men who might be in hospital at Malta or elsewhere. Mr. Allen stated in the same message that the Defence authorities here would assume the sick and wounded in Egypt to be progressing favorablV unless reports to the contrary vej-e sent regarding individual cases. He requested the officer at Alexandria to transmit information concerning men who might be going back to the front after recovering from sickntfss or wounds, and asked what arrange ments were being made to return to New Zealand the personal possessions of men who had been killed. The message received by the Minister of Defence yesterday states that letters and telegrams addressed "Care of New Zealand base at Alexandria" will be forwarded to the addressees werever they may be. The officer commanding the base undertakes to report periodically regarding men who recover and return to the front. "The Royal Army Medical Corps" adds the cablegram, does not advise the name of the hospital in which 'a man lies, but it does advise his condition if it is unsatisfactory, and also (notifies his discharge from hospital. Our visiting officer is ascertaining the location of the wounded, nnd informs this office, and a full record is kept, but changes are of almost daily occurrence, men being transferred from hospital to hospital, and from town to town, as they progress. This is what makes it difficult to send a report of the progress of men in hospital, unless in cases where tlie progress is unsatisfactory. Tlie effects of deceased New Zeiilanders will he returned by the WTillochra, and regularly thereafter." " T sent another telegram on May 27 No the officer commanding the New Zealanders' base at Alexandria," added tlie Minis! or of Defence. "T asked him to telegraph at olive the names of New Zeabinders, officers and men. in hospital iu Egvpt; the names of those returning to flie front, and the names of new arrivals: also the condition of any man should such alter for the worse. I told him I slmld assume that no information meant •'progressing favorably," and mi n!ioneil (hat there were numerous complaints about the non-delivery of teleL'i-ams, letters and parcels to the New Zealand troops. T have to-day received a reply from Colonel Esson, who has reiurned from the front to Alexandria on special duly, lfis cablegram runs: 'I am requested to point out that the list ashed for is practically valueloss, owing to the numerous daily transfer-; nnd discharges: also that it is not ,!i siraWe (o interfere with the hardpressed ho-pilal stuff. 'Hie wounded are ili.'.trilmti'il in nine hospitals in Alexandria, ei'.'ht in Cairo, and seven in different Kj,y;.|i:m towns, as well as iv ho-pilahi oversea. , Our base has alivaiiy err:tii;vi] to renorl, the names e.f men discharged and returning to duty. Tf the lUf i« ;;'i ; l i'elv essen.!ial. T will arrange to iia-iv: e the staff, but a 1! the available miare wanted elsewhere. The hosiiilsl ;evommoilalion is e-; 'ellenl.. tlie staff and the residents are most attentive, and the wounded ere very comfortable. Chaplains are distributing the comforts. The NewZealand base post office at Alexandria

recebed and distributed our mail made I ■/ up in bags for tlie different units. Communication has been difficult and uneer- - 'l l tain, but it is improving. The troops at different times are widely dispersed, ' end often personal matters have to ba subordnated to tactical requirements. Letters for the wounded are picked out here and «eit to the hospitals. It is stated by the Turkish prisoners that our wounded *ml prisoners of war ara being well (rested. Thi-v are sent to Constantinople. It h\ jsist possible that • some of tlie mi«sing are nfe." The Minister eddc.l thai the reports lie had received ought to be comforting to the rclaMrrs and f'lends. of the wounded. They indicated tlmt, although the conditions were difficult, in some respects, the wounded were' receiving excellent attention, and that the staff in Egypt was doing its utmost to make matters run smoothly. RECRUITING SATISFACTORY. NEW ZEALAND LEADS TIIE : , DOMINIONS. . By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A statement on recruiting was made by the Prime Minister. ''People sometimes forget," he said, "that for the last few weeks very much larger numbers than usual have been required, for in addition to the usual reinforcements we have been asked for nearly men to make up a special force offered and ac- 1 ccpted a month ago. This meant a heavy strain on the community, hut I have not the slightest doubt We shall get the full number. Within the last fortnight there has been a very decided improvement, and men an* coming forward in a very satisfactory manner. There is no occasion for excitement. The manhood of the country is doing its duty well. We entered into engagements to send a specified number of men at definite dates as long as the war lasts, anil the men will be Bent. More may be wanted to go into training. If so we will ask for them, and I am confident the Dominion will not disappoint us. "In the meantime I am .{proud to say that in proportion to population New Zealand leads the other Dominions in the assistance given to the Empire, and :. we intend to keep that position however ■ ' long the war may last. I am not speak- : ing in a-tooafltful spirit, hut just to let ; the people know we are doing our duty. In the meantime it is the dnt'v of every young man who is physically fit, and \vht> can possibly .get away, to respond to the Empire's call and register with the military authorities, so that a3 more New ~ Zealanders are wanted to go ii\to camp ther will be forthcoming without any difficulty, and the reputation ,of New Zealanders for courage nnd patriotism, which stands high, will be maintained.' THE TRENTHAM REGIMENT. THE FIFTH REINFORCEMENTS TESTED. A SEVEKE~ORDEAL. ' Per Press Association. , f Wellington, May 2!). The new battalions which will be known henceforth as the Trentham Regiment (the Earl of Liverpool's Own), commenced going into camp to-day,, large draughts of men arriving from .- 1 various parts of the country. Further batches will go iu to-morrow, and the remainder on Monday, bringing the new units up to the full strength. ■ As the battalions comprising the infantry brigade of the Main Sew Zealand Expeditionary Force were provided by the respective districts with bands, the hope is, expressed that the Trentham Regiment will not be overlooked by the public in this respect. Two battalions ean be provided' with band instruments and drums for £3OO, which necessitates a contribution of only £75 from-' eacll of the four military districts. Southland has already offered to do its share, and a satisfactory response from other districts is looked forward to. The new battalion will .also require thirtytwo bandsmen and thirty-two buglers. The fifth reinforcements have now reached the advanced stages of their training, and are being thoroughly tested. Tlie four infantry companies were put through a severe ordeal on Thursday and Friday, when they ware engaged in continuous operations tor tnirty-one hours and a half, sleeping out at night and making an attack at dawn under heavy rain, and putting in lengthy marches. * They' came through the ordeal with credit, and displayed a specially fine soldierly spirit. ■, This morning they were sent out oil a fourteen-mile route march. The test for the arms will be continued next week. MINER'S FOR THE FRONT. Greymouth, May 2!). The quota for the extra regiment which left this morning was noted for the number of containers from Black ball, also from the small mine near ' Reefton, where seven out of the nine workers left to-day. The latter min'o is temporarily closed. The contingent also includes'four brothers, a fifth being already tit the Dardanelles. A notable feature of last night's farewell was a speech by Harold Ernest Denton, who stepped from the ranks nnd said he iiad fought hard against compulsory military training. They were now up against the intrigue of Germany anil her system of conscription, and had to get out honorably, and lie was now going to the front voluntarily. NELSON'S RESPONSE. Nelson, May 29. About a hundred men from the Nelson area and district quota in the special force proceeded to Wellington to-dny. During the past three months this district, which includes "Marlborough, found all the men asked for, and on one occasion made up a deficiency elsewhere. A DEPLORABLE BLUNDER. Christchurch, May 29. ' i Twenty-eight recruits who paraded at [ (l:e ba'Tacks hist, night, hnvteflt town • ordered to go with the special reinforee- ' ments for Trentham, were told by the • officer in command that, as the quop ■ had been filled, they could not go with : the force. The men had given up jobs - and farewelled relatives, and the matter i is causing a good deal of comment on - the alleged blunder, which was due to i headquarters in modifying the call for t nicu. MARRIED MEN'S ALLOWANCE. Welling! on. May 28, 1 The Government has decided to pay 1 married privates and non-commissioned i officers of the New Zealand expedition. ' ary forces a separation allowance of Is • per day for seven <l:>ys ™ t' ,c T|'-j s 3 extra shilling per day is to be_ payable 3 to tho wives of the non-commissioned officera and privates of the main expeai- ' tionarv force and all subsequent rcmI foreements. Payment, will commence II from June 1 1915, for those already in the forces on tlifl-t tlfltc, ium notu the ;1 date of enlistment for others. This 0 means that, the pav of married men in v the rank and file will be (Is per day, in--11 stead of 5 S as previously.