LIFE ON A TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 6

LIFE ON A TRANSPORT.

(To the Editor.) ; 6ir, —In view of the reports re foot and conditions of life on board Tranepor • 49, 1 should wish to quote from my son'; (Pte. Arthur Siiiiivan) letters to mc extracts that <icai with these:— "To-da; is Uood Friday, and hot-cross buna hay been distributed to the troops. . . Th veutila-t'iO'i on this ship in first-rate, am where 5 nleec there is> a coniinnous cvi rent of fresn air making it as cool as i is on deck. Blankets are new =uperiU: ! oue iiiingfl for no one uses than. A' j the bu!ik3 are scrubbed to-day, and tni .■ k done oDce a week. Tbero is a smiil !' library on !K;s.rd. ahi bocks can be »a< ; ; f r-ea of cl&rgc, so thera is no lack o /reading aauer. "!«ist Saturday sport • w«jro .it}-.;, iibi isese will be continue p ! nasi Saiureay (to-morrow). 1 am guis L ; rseov&rod sow from tiio effects of th i! vaxtciasition, hnviaj t-tfcan it in a ver; . ' mild form. Somu of the men, have hai ,: biui arms for a tew days, bat laost o ,; them ar« precty rigrit by now. We ha .; a pay ou Tuesday iact, ail of the mci j getting £1. Tr.is is to take them ove i the trip, T expect. Evsijy Friday w> i get fish and always avreets of some kin< I for dinner. Concerts take place at fre ! cjuent intervals, axd everytiiiag is don jto provide occupation and amusemen J for the men on the transport. Free! j bread is provided every day. as bread i j baked each night, Sundays and all. . . Reveille goe3 now at 5.30. ajn., and th troops assemble on deck and hose cacl other with salt water. Breakfast start at 7 a.m. The men have a pretty eas; titnoofit on board, getting a little dril eachl day. Most of the day is free." In a later letter from Tel-el-Kebir, b; son writes:—"The sergeants' mess i used as a reading and writing room. I is supported by the V.M.C.A. The writ ing materials are provided free, am there is plenty of reading matter be sides a gramophone for purposes of re creation. There is no doubt that tin YJM.C.A. is doing a great work. Peoph would be well advised to contribute money to that or kindred institution: in place of purchasing articles as gifts t< individuals. The reason for this sugges tion is that many of thie presents an quite useless, as they won't be permittee to take them to the'front. Only 7H>s. o: personal property is allowed each man Dreseing-cases, elaborate hold-alls, cam eras, and so forth, are no good out her< as they would make the weight over th< allowance."—l am, etc., J. A. MTDDLEBKOOK. Te Kainga, Mamie Street, Rcmuera.