THE MARAMA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9256, 25 January 1916, Page 5

THE MARAMA

report of return voyage CABLEGRAMS NOT YET CONFIRMED. During tho last week or two private cablegrams received in Now Zealand from members of tho staff of tho hospital shiii Marama have indicated that the vessel was about to return to New' Zealand. Tho Prime Minister, referring to this matter a few days ago, stated that the Marama was proceeding from Egypt to the United Kingdom with a full load of sick and wounded soldiers, and that ho had no information regarding her subsequent movements. No further official information regarding the Marama’s movements is yet available, but there is substantial reason to believe that a return voyage in tho near future is in contemplation. Tho ending of the Gallipoli campaign is understood to have left tho Imperial authorities with a surplus of hospital ships, since at no other point is it necessary to evacuate sick and wounded men by s.ea direct from the trenches. Tho British hospitals contain many New Zealanders who aro classed as “cot cases,” and are nob fit to travel on ordinary transports. Prior to tho departure of the Maheno for New Zealand it was reported that she was to bring a largo number of those cases, but, as a matter of fact, she brought practically none.