NEW ZEALAND DIVISION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11749, 8 February 1919, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND DIVISION.

PROGRESS OF DEMOBILISA-.. TIUN. From N.Z. Official War Correspondent, London, January 2. of the division baa teen proceeding efceadliy from Germany; 3500 have already left, and in about nine Teaks, if all goes well, tbe New Zealanders’ “watch on the Rhine” will have been ended. As demobilisation progresses units are reorganised and amalgamated. Infaatry reinforcements are being gradually reduced by a process of amalgamation that will preserve their identity, till finally there will be an amalgamation of thosa remaining in the Auckland and Wellington units to form a North Island battalion and those in Canterbury and Otago to form a Sonth Island Battalion. Similarly, tbe Ride Brigade is being reduced to one battalioa. Other units are beng dispersed bv process of reduction and .'amalgamation. Tbe Maori battalion, which was demooilised as a unit, is already en route to New Zealand. In the Divisional Artillery the batteries are being gradually reduoeed The light trench mortar batteries are bein e disbanded, and the medium trench-mortar batteries have been absorbed in the D.A.O. Horse and vehicles are neing disposed of here. Equipment for tbe New Zealand Post Bellnm Defence Force, including field-guns, trench-mortars, and machine-guns, will eventually be sent to New Zealand, but in view of present shipping scarcity, this will take a considerable time. Demobii satinn is being oanied out on the basis of length of service. Officers and others desiring it can obtain their discharge in England. Four pier' rota’ companies and 13 bands are bieng demobilised as units, special arrangements being made for tbe custody of the valuable sets of instruments that have been acquired. A Canteen Board bis been formed in the Expeditionary Force to deal with tbe accumulated profits, which are considerable, in the interest of troops generally daring demobilisation, or to be held on account of particular units. Demobilisation will most probably continue to be from English ports, a fortnight’s leave being granted before departure Evacuation of tbe camps and hospitals in England has already commenced The Field Artillery Depots at Boicombe have already been evacuated. Approximately dates for the evacuation of others are:— Machine-gun Depot, Grantham, January 29th; Broekenhnrst Hospital, January 31st; Rifie Depot, Brockton, February 4th ; Convalescent Hospital, Hornchurch, February 25th ; Auxiliary and General Hospital and Motor Transport |Section, Oatlaud,; Febturay 25th; G Group, Torquay, March llih; Officers’ Convalescent Hospital, Brighton, March 18; Nnrses’ Home, Brighton, March 18; Nurses’ Home, Brighton, March 25; B Group, Coclford, April 2; Hospital, Codford, April 9; Hospital, Walton, and A Gronp, Sling, Jane 1; London, August; Motor Transport Department, Weybridge, Augnst. These dates will depend largely on the amount of shipping allocated for demobilisation, ;and might be detrimentally affected by the strikes of coal miners or transport workers in Great Britain. In the final stages Codford will be a receiving depot, Sling a re-organising depot, and Torquay a discharge depot Various officers have been selected to proceed to New Zealand in connection with the demobilisation there.