RETURNING DRAFTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1919, Page 6

RETURNING DRAFTS.

EARLIER NEWS POSSIBLE. Wellington, Friday. It will be possible in future to give earlier and more delinite info.rmai,ion to the next of kin and the genera] public regarding returning drafts of New Zealand soldiers, an improvement in the system having been promptly made by the Defence Department as a result of the naval censorship over the movements of troopships and hospitals in New Zealand waters having been lifted. The former limit of a fortnight before arrival can be abandoned, and the new system provides that on receipt of the cabled nominal roll of a. draft, the nex't-of-kin will be advised as soon as practicable of expected date and port of arrival of vessel, after which tire naming roll will be released for public information. Any variation in the date or port of arrival of the vessel will be subsequently made public officially. The prime object of this procedure- is to preclude confusion arising from any conflicting reports being circulated, and to obviate any neecssity for individual enquiries by relatives and friends. The Department is only too anxious, now i that it is possible, to afford the earliest i information to the public regarding their returning soldier soafs and husbands, ; but "it wrll be realised that if its work is congested by receipt of nume-rous enquiries from a large section of the relatives and friends of any particular draft, [ not only will the work' of notifying all next-of-kin of the draft be delayed, but also subsequent drafts. For instance relatives may receive cables from their men-folk who believe they are on the point of embarking for the Dominion (which is no guarantee that they have actually embarked, though the' majority may), and immediately address an enquiry to the Department demanding information. This may occur before the vessel has actually cleared harbor, her departure reported, or cabled nominal roll of troops come to hand, the result being that a negative reply must be made, thus adding quite uselessly to the already heavy work of the Department. We are requested to inform the next-of-kin of returning soldiers that after receipt of the notification from Base Records that a soldier is expected back with a specified draft, all subsequent enquiries should be made to the headquarters of the district where the soldier will disembark and not to Base Records. AH arrangements for meeting a transport—medical boarding, disembarkation, and returning soldiers to their homes are made by the district headquarter? at port oF disembarkation, and not by General Headquarters at Wellington, consequently earlier replies ■/-ill be availnbe if the enquiries are sent direct to the district headquarters responsible for the disembarkation procedure. Prior to the arrival of a draft at port of arrival, the arrangements for landing, and coastwise or inland transport as requisite, will be announced, so that those concerned rr.av he ful'.v informed.

Therefore, following on notification of next-of-kin, and publication of nominal rolls of respective drafts the public will be kept fully informed officially as to the position so that personal enquiry or speculation will be entirely unnecessary. The Department receives telegraphic reports in regerd to the general health of each draft from ports of call, and al'o by wirelcs in the later stages of vnviige. and the public may rest assured that, where necessary, any requisite aet'on for the good of th» troops or the general public will he taken.

THE LANDING PORTS. • In connection with the conveyance of the troops to the Dominion, it is pointed out that the vessels concerned are either Admiralty chartered transports or overseas liners under its requisition, New Zealand troops being carried at per capita rates fixed by the Minister of Shipping The vessels carry cargo, of course, and their port of arrival is necessarily governed by proportion of passengers for such and cargo to be discharged. Owing to the still heavy demands on shipping for repatriation and other war services, it is essential that vessels should discharge cargoes and load for return voyage as early as practicable, in accordance with strict Admiralty instructionsUnder these, circumstances, the Defence Department is unable to meet the natural denu'nd from various localities that particular ships carrying large numbers of men for those districts shall make a certain port, the first port of call. The primary consideration has to ho facility in getting the ship's cargo discharged, the return cargo loaded, and a consequent hastening of the return of another draft by the same shin.