THE MAIN BODY DRAFT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1919, Page 6

THE MAIN BODY DRAFT.

HOW IT IS COMPOSED. Attention has been drawn to the fact that the "Main Body Draft," due to retell Wellington on March 15 in the transport Hororata, includes several hundied men who did not leave New Zealand with the Main Body. These orJher men comprise members of the Rifle Brigade and of early reinforcements. The position is that the Hororata is bringing the first draft of fit men returned to the Dominion in order of sen-' tority. It consists of 1014-15 men, who arc being repatriated first. The draft includes the bulk of the fit Main Body men. but it does not. include tliem all, nor does it consist wholly of men who loft the Dominion in WW- But it condins the largest body of Main Body men that New Zealand will have a chance to receive on a single occasion, and for that reason it may fittingly be welcomed in a special way. It may be mentioned that all the Main Body men remaining with the New Zealand forces at "the date of the armistice did not wish to hurry back to New Zealand. Some of them desired to take part in the occupation of the Rhine territory, and others wished to have a period of leave in the United Kingdom before they embarked. It ia doubtful if. in any case, there would have been enough fit Main Body men remaining with the New Zealand forces to complete the Hororata's draft.