SOLDIERS OUST CIVILIANS

Evening Star, Issue 16991, 13 March 1919, Page 2

SOLDIERS OUST CIVILIANS

THE FERRY SERVICE.

[Special to the ‘ Star.']

CHRISTCHURCH. March 13,

The. Christchurch office of the Union Company has received word that owing- to tlie heavy bookings of soldiers for the ferry boats from Wellington next week no civilian passengers can be booked from Wellington to Lyttelton for Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Mr S. K. Sleigh, Christchurch manager, informed a reporter that he had received a letter from Wellington stating there were 560 men from the Hororata, exclusive of the wives of soldiers, to come south by the Maori on Monday, and 450 men from the Athemc to come south by the Mararoa on Tuesday. As the Defence Department could not state the number of wives and children travelling with the soldiers, all civilian bookings had been suspended. Mr Sleigh remarked that the company had always giver, preference to soldiers, and frequently into had to shut out civilians. In the present case it was undesirable! that wives who had crane from England with their husband?’ should be separated at the end o’ the vovage. The matter was one entirely for the Defence Department at present.