STRANDED VOLUNTEERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3173, 26 April 1909, Page 3

STRANDED VOLUNTEERS.

The complaints of the New Zealand volunteers evolved as the result of the faster transport arrangements, fade into adsolute nothingless when compared with the wretched bungling which took place in connection with the return of the Melbourne volunteer troops garrisoning the forts comprising the Port Philip distric t, after the recent manoeuvres. The men were distributed at Dromana, Franklin Fort, and South Channel Fort, and the steamer Coogee was to have picked them up on Easter Monday afternoon. The tander Mars placed about 75 troops aboard the Coogee from Dromana and then, owing to the heavy sea running, the Coogee's captain decided to go back to Franklin Fort. She proceeded on to the South Channel Fort, but without the assistance of the Mars could not embark the troups at that point. The Coogee thereupon settled down calmly to wait for orders, which were not forthcoming. At Franklin Fort the men were almost entirely without food, and subsisted from mid-day on Monday until Tuesday morning upon five ounces of biscuits each. At Dromana another large # body of hungry troops was stranded, and did not get back to Melbourne until Tuesday morning, many of the men standing in imminent peril of losing their employment. The volunteers at South Channel were also left shelterless and practically without food. Most of the men slept out in the open air, while their more fortunate fellows wooed the drowsy goddess in sheds, stables, and no verandahs. It transpires that whil? printed instructions Were issued to all the officers covering the outward trip, no one seems to have counted upon the troops requiring to be brought back again. The State Corrimandarit did not perceive anything very dreadful in the breakdown of the transport arrangements, and professed to regard the incident as being fruitful in "encouraging initiative." Although the men faced the position with soldierly cheerful- ! ness, they naturally felt that in these strenuous times of keen competition on the labour market, military initiative may be purchased at too high a price when the possibility of dismissal for absenting themselves from their employment without permission was involved in the general poposition.