STRANDED IN SYDNEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17151, 3 May 1919, Page 9

STRANDED IN SYDNEY.

'nEW ZEALAND PASSENGERS. NEW ZEALAND PASSENGERS. NO PREFERENCE SHOWN. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. [by telegraph.— association.] CHRISTCHUP.CH. Friday. Referring to a cablegram from Sydney, stating that stranded New Zealanders are dissatisfied at what they claimed to be discrimination in allowing soldiers and munition workers to return to New Zealand while civilians are debarred, the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. G. W. BiiiSell, eaid he was surprised at the i statement, as no iiini ter.al authority '' was given for the relaxation of the embargo in regard to passenger traffic of anv description. While appreciating the work I of so.diers and munition workers, he could J not differentiae between different cases Ln | the community. If the officers of the I Heal>h Department had cabled permission, ' it was done on their own responsibility. • The matter would be inquired into. ! Continuing, the Minister Baid he had i i received information from Wellington that i a 6mali body of soldiers were en route t<

New Zealand,' but no consent was given k I the Defence Department to transfer muniI tion workers. Until there were more effi • i cient quarantine stations, the embargc ' j would be rigidly enforced. With regard to etrandcd New Zea landers a cablegram had been forwarder, to the Government agent in Sydnej authorising him to make necessary ad vances for their maintenance.