RETURNED ' SOLDIERS AND THEIR RAILWAY PASSES.

Evening Star, Issue 16950, 24 January 1919, Page 4

RETURNED ' SOLDIERS AND THEIR RAILWAY PASSES.

TO TOE EDITOR. Sir, —I was surprised to read in this evening’s paper anent the above that “the Base Records posts the soldier'* discharge to the address he has notified before the actual date of discharge so a* to avoid any difficulty in using the rail privilege.” This is only another instance of the Defence Department’s efforts to justify itself before the public at the expense of the returned soldier. Nottvithstading that the Department gives soldiers four week’s notice of discharge, a man is informed on the expiry of such notice that “ we (the local defence office) hav# nothing to do with such certificate of discharge and that you (the soldier) will probably receive same within ten days from Wellington.” Pay ceases on discharge, so that if the man wishes to ass his railway pass to seek work out of town, he will most likely have to keep himself for some ten days before being able to use his pass. After reading, also, the account of the scene in the council chamber, re the reception of returned soldiers, do you not think it would bo better if the mayor, the reception committee, and other councillors buried the hatchet and either one or ail of them met returned soldiers with the promise that they were looking after the returned men to the best of their ability, eo that this and other department statements go not unchallenged and that clue justice be done to them.—l am, eta, Dunedin, February 23. Milss.