RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Star, Issue 16923, 21 December 1918, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS

DRAFT BY ULIMAEOA. The Otago and Southland men who reached Wellington by the troopship Ulimaroa arrived at Dunedin yesterday at 4.58 p.m., Major Fleming in charge. The list was published in last night’s paper. Members of the Otago Motor Club conveyed the Dunedin men to their homes. Some of the southern men caught the evening express. The arrangements made by the Defence and the Railway departments worked quite satisfactorily, there being no trouble or confusion of any sort. THE TOFUA’S DRAFT. ARRIVED LAST NIGHT. A FINE-WEATHER PASSAGE. NO SICKNESS ABOARD. The Tofua, with 436 returned soldiers on hoard, arrived at Port Chalmers lastnight. It was five minutes past 9 p.m. when she dropped anchor in the stream. There was no sickness on board, and, the Health Officer quickly granting pratique, she proceeded to her" berth and was tied up at the George street pier at 10 o’clock. Major Hickey and Captain Myers (A.A.G.), of the district headquarters staff, had charge of the landing arrangements, assisted by Captain M'Gnigan and Captain Dobson. A capable Records staff boarded the vessel, and they were busy right up to about JS o’clock putting everything in order for the returned men. The soldiers looked very well indeed—probably the best all-round draft,_ so far as appearances go, to Land at this port. The maioritv of them are returning Invalided,'but" the draft included a party of men’ who are back on furlough duty. The latter fact accounted for so many Anzacs being ou board. The Tofua left England two days before the Armistice was signed. The passage was made bv way of the Panama Canal. The weather was fine throughout, with the exception of two days in the vicinity of Tahiti, and then it was not very rough; merely “a bit of a choppy sea."” Fortunately there was practically no sickness on board, the experience _in this respect being regarded as something of a record for a troopship carrying invalided men. The ship’s _ crew, by the way, had been down with influenza while the vessel was in England. The officer commanding was Major J. M‘orae D.S.O. of Lawrence. The other officers were Contain I indlay .adjutant) Lieutenant A. R. Cockerell, D.5.0., of Sutton (assistant adjutant), Major Monk and Captain Tweed (medical officers), Captain C G. Moffatt. of Invercargill tclental officer). Rev. C. J. Bush-King .(chaplain). The names of the Otago and Southland men, so far as could be ascertained at the time, were published in the. * Star of the Hth imt. The following names are now added : Gunner W. D H. Castle. Private F. Forbes. Private B. 11. Goudie. Rifleman J. Henderson. Gunner A. -I. Moir. Private V. R. Pollan._ Rifleman A. H. Ritchie. Sergeant G. IV. Smith.

Private G-. Stocks. In addition to the Otago and Southland men, this draft included_ 17 soldiers and 11 sold iers’ wives for disembarkation at Auckland ; 215 soldiers and 25 soldiers’ wives and nurses for Wellington; 98 soldiers and six soldiers’ wives for Canterbury. Nino of the Otago and ..Southland soldiers were accompanied by their wives, _ Four men ex Tahiti also came with this vessel—viz.. T. Murray (cook) and J. Bussoil. H. MTherson. and X. M'Xcil (A.B.s). The Otago and Southland men came up to Dunedin hv the 7.9 train this morning. 'lire North Island and Canterbury men proceeded north by a special train which took them on at the wharf, switched on the main line at Sawyers Bay, and left for the north at 11.40 a.m. Major Fleming travelled south to see to the transport of that party of the men. The Otago Motor Club were again on hand for the convenience of the Dunedin men, Some of the motors had to make a second trip this morning, but all the men were away from the station before 8 o'clock, OUR RETURNING SOLDIERS. TO THE KDITOK. Sir.—l have listened to and read our Mavor’s remarks at numerous send-offs to the' troops during the past four years ; but why was no representative of the Gitv Council’present when the train arrived this morning to extend to the returned men a welcome home, or a few of our bandsmen arranged for? This was provided for bv practical and live Mayors at various places, such as Temuka and other towns. Surely our Chief Magistrate is possessed of enough foresight to authorise some person to act in his absence, or ie it that he is tho only one competent for the. limelight? Where am our city councillors? It is time they woke up if they wish to uphold Dunedin’s fair name.—l am, etc., Johv Campbell, cx-Counclllor. December 21.