TO EVACUATE PRISONERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 6

TO EVACUATE PRISONERS

HOSPITAL SHIP MAUNGANUI

(Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 22 The Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) announced tonight that the Government lias arranged for the hospital ship Maunganui, winch has been attacked to the JJntish Pacific Fleet, to be used, as soon as .circumstances permit, to evacuate New Zealand and Australian prisoners of war and interned civilians li-oiii the Par East to tiieir home countries. A contact team comprising an officer and two warrant-officers is also being sent to South-East Asia Command Headquarters to join the recovered Allied prisoners of war and internees. A control staff has been set up by Lord Mountbatten’s Headquarters and the duties of this team will be to proceed into recovered territory to assist in the documentation of recovered New Zealanders, reporting thenrecovery and physical condition to New Zealand, and making the necessary arrangements lor their repatriation with the least possible delay. Referring to the departure of R.N.Z.A.IC planes for. Singapore for the repatriation of prisoners of war and civilian internees in Japanese hands, the Acting-Postmaster-General (Mr Jones) said that the Post Office was availing itself of the opportunity afforded by those flights of iorwarding letter mails to piisoners and civilian internees. Persons desiring to post letters should address them as usual, showing the internment camp or other address.