SOLDIERS' NEXT-OF-KIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1919, Page 6

SOLDIERS' NEXT-OF-KIN.

Wellington, March 28. Thousands of New Kealanders are awaiting the welcome notification from Base Records that their soldier relative is on his way to New Zealand. Therefore they wili be interested to know how the Defence Department deals with the next of kin of returning drafts. About fourteen days before a ship is due to arrive, Base Records sends out to the next of kin of each man aboard a notification that cabled advice of the ?< dier's return has been received, th'at h--js on a boat named, and the probable Sate of arrival is mentioned. The recipient is advised to watch the newspapifor any alteration in the arrival date. It will be seen from this that next of kin should carefully maintain at Base Re cords their correct address. The authorities do not object to noting even brief changes from the usual address, so long as they know that they can reach the soldier's relatives quickly with the notification A 9 the soldier is sent to his home address as quickly as possible after disembarkation, his next of kin are advised to await him at home, and they will receive a telegram immediately the ship arrives, mentioning the time at which the soldier should reach home. When next of kin travel to the port of disembarkation they often have to put up with the disappointment of not being able to travel back with their soldier relative, as the special trains must be reserved for the soldiers. Though the Defence De partment does not encourage next of kin to visit the port, of disembarkation, they afford special facilities on the wharf for the soldier's relatives. Next of kin passes are obtainable by bona fide next of kin at the Defence Headquarters of the district where the soldier will disembark, except in the ease of Wellington, where the issue of these tickets is made from the more conveniently situated office of Base Records, at the back of Government Buildings. If an invalid soldier is sufficiently well to be granted a week's leave he is allowed to go home for that period, and then report for treatment at a hospital. Where this cannot be done, and the soldier has to go straight into hospital, his wife and parents are entitled, upon making application to Base Records, Wellington, to receive free return railway warrants to visit the patient in hospital. If the soldier has no wife or parent, one railway warrant is available to his next of kin.