The Dominion.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 82, 21 March 1919, Page 5

The Dominion.

COMING HOME. 1113 MEN FROM EGYPT. Wellington, March 20. “The position with regard to the return of troops from the Egyptian theatre,” said the Minister for Defence (Sir James Allen), “is that on March 7th the Kaikoura left Egypt for New Zealand with 1113 men of all ranks. There are still remaining approximately 2500 troops to be embarked, but "the Defence Department has no information as to what shipping is available or when the remaining troops are likely to sail.”

THE ATHENIC’S DRAFT. Some of the draft- of returning men ex-Athenic, arrived in Napier, last night. They were met at the Railway Station by the Mayor (Mr. H. Hill) and a large gathering ot the public. The City Band was present and enlivened the proceedings by playing appropriate airs. Following are the names of the Napier men: Anderson, Austin, Cross, Keane, King, McConnell, Reardon, Olliver, Young and Wooster. Several Gisborne men also arrived, and were entertained at dinner at the Provincial Hotel, by the Mayor and Cr. Ashcroft.

TWO MEN FOR HASTINGS Corporal George Portas and Sergeant Duncan arrived in Hastings last evening from active service and, as neither the Mayor nor the local Defence Department were notiflecr, there was no citizens’ ,ecept?m_. Surely it should be the duty of the Defence Department to acquaint the Mayors of various towns, at which returning soldiers are due to arrive, of the fact that they are on their way, and so ensure them a welcome home.

RETROSPECTIVE ALLOWANCES. JUSTICE DEMANDED. FOR VOLUNTEERS' DEPENDENTS. Wellington, March 21. Mr. D. Seymour, General Secretary of the N.Z. Returned Soldiers’ Association, publishes a statement. in reference to the application of the amended scale of allowances to soldiers’ wives and children. There is, he says, a general impression that the demands of the Association have been met by the Goverw | ment, but nothing of the kind had, been done, and the Association intended to press for retrospective payment in full of allowances to the children of those who volunteered in the early days of the war. The early volunteers, he says, went cheerfully and did not begrudge unavoidable hardships, but where it was possible to do something to-j wards equitable treatment, the Gov-, e.rnment had contested every inch and yielded only- to pressure, lor. a year they had contended in effect t that the country- could not afford to treat, the volunteer as generously'as the conscript. Next, while allocating some £2.000,000 for gratuities,; only some £440,000 of this could be spared “in lieu of retrospection.’’ To satisfy the claims of justice this has been increased to £500.000 <ot to fulfil a moral obligation, but presumedly to provide a better line of defence against full satisfaction. ; The principle involved in the last’ position has been reached and the. : Association looked to the public and the press to support it in its demands on behalf of the children of the volunteer.