Plans For Returning Men From Overseas

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1945, Page 2

Plans For Returning Men From Overseas

(Special.) WELLINGTON, This Day, “Every endeavour will be made lo bring back to New Zealand those men of the 2nd N.Z.E..F. who are to be returned from overseas in the order in which they were despatched,” said the Minister for Defence (Hon. F. Jones) yesterday. Mr Jones was asked whether servicemen overseas would be returned in the order in which they left or whether some priority system, as announced bv the Prime Minister (Hon P. Fraser), to apply to forces within the Dominion, would be followed. The policy to be adopted for the forces within New Zealand is to first demobilise men in certain cssen'inl industries, such as coalmining and activities connected with building construction. The statement by fine Minister, therefore, implies that no such priority system will be emoioyed for men from ilie Middle East The Bth Reinforcement is the first batch of overseas men due to return, to be followed by the 7th Reinforcement, and so on.

The Minister was reminded that the Australian Government had announced the composition of Commonwealth forces which would be used to occupy Japan, and he was asked if he was in a position to state whether New Zealand intended to be represented during the occupation period by either ground, sea or air forces. Mr Jones replied that he preferred to make no comment at this stage.

With the sudden end of the war it is natural for relatives of men who are overseas to expect that they will be returned to New Zealand within a short period, but official quarters emphasise that so far there has been no improvement in the shipping position to warrant any such hope. When asked yesterday if he could comment on shipping arrangements which are being made to return New Zealand servicemen to their own country. Mr Jones said that the Government had taken up with the British Government the question of obtaining additional ships to bring the men home from Italy, and a reply was awaited.