WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2552, 28 August 1915, Page 3

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Sir,—Having avery near -relative amongst tho soldiers departing ■ recent-, jy, I naturally felt desirous of seeing the last of him on the wharf, and in' view of this made application at the embarkation office for a ticket of admis- \ sion. The reply was that no passes were to be issued for that'day,'but as soon as- the soldiers had-embarked the barriers, were to be taken away, and entrance of the wharf open to tho public. ; I made similar inquiries in other quarters, all with the same result. Judge my amazement on arriving at tho. barrier half an hour or moro before the soldiers ■ arrived, to find that hundreds, of people had obtained ingress to the wharf, and found myself, detained,' with thousands of-others, because, forsooth, only ticket-- : holders were allowed;'to pass. Now, : Sir, surely it was sufficient hardship ■ for tho mothers, wives,. sisters, and sweethearts of the soldiers to bo detained behind tho barrier until the embarkation was over , (with such a num- ; ber of men this was a reasonable pre- -j oaution), but, after all, to learn that the Defence Department had issued ' thousands of passes for access to the ' wharf without discrimination as to wlie- ! ther, the applicants were relations or-not : makes one wonder who is responsible ■ fo-r such muddlcment—Minister or offi- 1 oia-ls ? I should think that on sucb an ! occasion, if tickets are to be "issued, the , near relatives should have the prefer- " once.—l am, etc., - 1 v ' : ; . A RELATIVE.' -J