RETURNING HOME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9496, 9 January 1919, Page 4

RETURNING HOME

POSITION OF EARLY CONTINGENTS.

CHK.ISTCHURCH, Oan. 9: The position of sumo members -of. curly Now Zealand reinforcements wheare etill in Franco was placedl before Sir- James Allen last night. As an. illustration a case was taken of a man who loi't/ New Zealand as a private in say the Third or Fourth Reinforcement who was promoted-to an officer's' rank, returned to New Zealand- on duty in tharge of a unit, spent some •[ time in c.unp here with, say, the Thir- -: ty-tifih Reintorcement. The reinforcement t-o which he officially belongs will nuike si great difference to him in de- • mobilisation; it might mean nine or even twelve months' longer'stay in Europe. The Minister said that the man's - position would depend on the leave he - had had and on the view taken by the officer commanding the New Zealand. F.orces abroad, but his own opinion was that, as a matter of fairness and common sense the nian, for the purpose of demobilisation, should belong to his ■■ first reinforcement.

Speaking of the transport arrangements in respect to demobilisation, the • Minister Raid that arrangements would . bo made as far as possible to send all transports carrying mostly Canterbury mon to Lyttelton. This principle wiU. be applied "to ' men belonging to other ■ provincesj a,nd would come into operation. v:hh the return of sick and wound-' i'd ir.'.M). Kor instance, a transport-, loft in }">«;-e!i)bi?r wii.li 185 Auckland mon. I'i3 vh.-igo mon and 247 Welling-'-' ton uicn. Siie probably would first cftlli at Wflhnfilon 1. ■ • ;.' -' :v\