DEMOBILISATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1918, Page 8

DEMOBILISATION.

j- STATEjVEEKT jby DEEEKCE " i . - .} COMPLETE ?£ • T*legiapk—Spßeial * , Wellington, last Night, Tfe Defcnco Minister made a statement in 1.0 House to-day -with reference to demobilisation. He had teen a-sfced hy Mr. Parr (Eden) if he could gWe the House some, additional informatfoft on the subject, and said that, during the armistice he hoped to evacuate the whole of the sick and wounded New Zealand soldiers now in the United Kingdom. The armistice would also be ! utilised to bring out married men and their wives as far as possible. There would arrive in New Zealand duping the ipresient mouth something like 2250 sick and wounded men, and he expected that during January ami February between COOO and SOOO other *iek and wounded men would be arriving in the Dominion, and by the end of February 8000 or 0000, men would be Uftct That, probably, would practically dear Ike hospitals in the United Kingdom. A considerable number of vessels would bo available to embark the troops from tlie United Kingdom in January and February. It -was impossible to say definitely when the fit men of the Main 1 ><ly would begin to move homeward*, but he presumed they would not leave Europe until peace been signed. The Defence Department was bringing back a few men who were considered to be essential. Applications for the release of esential men were referred to Base Records for inquiry, and on a report that they were urgently required in New Zei.'and, arrangemenst were made as far as possible to bring them back. The principle laid down with reference to the return of fit men was that the first to go were to be the first to come back. He would adhcr to that principle as far as possible, but it would not be possible to lay down any hard and fast rule. If the men of the Main Body began to leave England in March or April he anticipated it would take from nine to twelve months to get the whole of them back to New Zealand. The instruction that had to be given with regard to demobilisation at this end was that arrangements were to be made for handling 2500 men per week, or 10,000 men per month, but he did not think the men would arrive as rapidly as that, hut he hoped they would. The Minister for Defence added that the whole of the routine work in connection with the preparation for discharge would be undertaken aboard the transports. Special officers had been sent Home, and the staffs .were now being trained in England for the purpose. All necessary papers would he prepared on the ships, and the men would be ready to go straight to their homes from the ship's side. They would have their steamer tickets, train tickets, meal tickets and everything else before they landed. No other part of the Empire had attempted so complete an arrangement. A member: Very creditable to the Department. Sir James Allen: It is very creditable. The arrangement would prevent any delays at this end.