FREED PRISONERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25321, 1 October 1945, Page 4

FREED PRISONERS

FURTHER DRAFT HOME

SERVICEMEN AND CIVILIANS A further draft of 16 New Zealand prisoners of war repatriated from the East arrived by a Dakota aircraft at Whenuapai shortly after 4.30 yesterday afternoon. The party consisted of seven members of the Air Force, five of the Navy and four civilians who had served with volunteer forces against the .Japanese. The civilians were wearing the blue battiedress of the Australian Air Force with which they were issued at Brisbane to replace their own tattered garments. After complying with the health regulations at Whenuapai, the men were taken by car to the No. 1 Port Depot, Remuera, the Devonport naval base and the Mechanics' Bay transit camp, where, in some cases, relatives and friends waited to greet them. Those belonging_to Auckland were allowed to go to their homes as soon as brief administrative details had been attended to. Men for other centres will leave for the south today after appearing before a medical board.

Following are those who arrived: — Air Force: Flying Officers H. J. Allard (Christ-church), D. C. Duff (Dunedin), A. W. Phillips (Dannevirke), E. D. Rex (Wellington), J. T. Tosswill (Remuera), W. P. Wellington (Dunedin), Warrant Officer N. G. Packard (Nelson). Navy: Lieutenant R. T. Arkley (Wellington), Signallers W. J. Aspden (Auckland). G. G. Chennels (Lower Hutt). ,J. G. Evans (Nelson), Midshipman 11. J. Rae (Christchurch). Civilian volunteer forces: Private W. M. Groves (Wellington), Private R. W L. McCall (Remuera), Sergeant L. H. Mac Donald (Tauranga), Sergeant B. M. Somes (Wellington).

BANK OFFICIAL RELEASED INTERNMENT IN JAVA Advice that her husband, Mr W. W. Rae, who was interned by the Japanese when Java was overrun, has been released and is in Singapore has been received by Mrs Rae, of Market. Road. Remuera. He is a son-in-law of Mrs James Robertson, of Market Road. Remuera. This is the first advice Mrs Rae has received about, her husband since September. 1913. whet- a message stated that he was a prisoner of the Japanese. The advice of his release said he was fit and well.

Mr Rae, who was on the staff of the Hongkong-Shanghai Bank, was stationed at Batavia and moved later to Bandung, Java. Mrs Rae and her two children left before Java was overwhelmed by the Japanese. Mr Rae was interned at Djawa Camp. Java.

VISIT TO DOMINION BRITISH FOOD AUTHORITY (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 29 Sir Henry French, former secretary to the Ministry of Food, will visit New Zealand and Australia to convey the Minister's thanks for the part which New Zealand and Australia played in maintaining food supplies to the United Kingdom during the war.

Sir Henry French, who was knighted in 1938, had been secretary to the Minsitry of Food since 1930, Born in 1883, lie joined the civil service in 1901 and lias held several important posts. In 1915 he was secretary to hord Milner's

committee on the home production of food, and in 1916-17 was joint secretary to Lord Selborne's committee on agricultural policy. From 1930 to 19,11 he represented the United Kingdom and Canada on the Permanent Committer of the International Institute of Agriculture, As an adviser, he attended the Ottawa Conference of 1932.

FIRE DESTROYS CAR WOMAN'S NARROW ESCAPE A narrow escape from serious injury was experienced by Mrs Kathleen Wooton, of Rn inn ram a, when the car in which she was a passenger overturned and burst into flames following a collision with another vehicle in Atkinson Avenue, Otahuhu, at about noon yesterday. There was some dilliculty in removing Mrs Wooton from the burning car, as the doors were jammed. She suffered slight lacerations and burns and was treated at the casualty ward of the Green Lane Hospital. The car, which was driven by her husband, was almost completely destroyed.