DEMOBILISED.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15047, 15 April 1919, Page 6

DEMOBILISED.

BASE RECORDS HONORARY &TAFF TOUR YEARS OF WAR SERVICE.

After rcnuoriug extremely valuable] service to the Defence Department at1 Base Records, the honorary staff 'has' ceased its activities,'as it is considered1 possible that with the return of so large a, number of our soldiers, the permanent staff will be able to cope with the work. (Relatives of our soldiers all over New Zealand owe thanks to these Wellington ladies, aided by a few gentlemen, who rendered assistance to Base Records in "rush times," enabling work to be done promptly when the task would have ■been beyond the physical capacity- of the permanent Base Records staff. The voluutary staff came into existence at the end of 1915^ when it was found that a new scheme of dealing with casualties had becomo imperative _to avo'.d delays. An essential in th'o improved scheme then adopted was tliat there should be prepared in respect of every soldier who had gone abroad, a1 •"history sheet" containing all personal particulars, details of his movements, changes in rank, etc. 'To start this scheme meant the preparation from the existing files of ten thousand "history sheets." The regular staff, which was only about 50 at that time could not capo Avith this work, and temporary clerics movq not obtainable. In this emergency Major Norton Francis, Director of P.a-o Records, obtained per-1 jnissioh'to organise a morning session of thirty Indies us voluntary workers at I^nsi' Roc-orris, and a i'urlhor number assisted by clerks from various offices, the principals of which were approached and readily gave permission to lend some of their employees for work in the afternoons. Then an appeal was made to the •public service, and many employees of the Public Service Commissioner (again assured by- civilians occupied during the day) came to the aid of the Defence Department during the evenings. By this menus a staff of thirty voluntary "workers i.vais employed nine hours per day.

No fewer than 15,000 history sheets ■were thus written up by voluntary Avorkers, and a system installed which proved to bo of incalculable value especially /■a the prompt notification of casualties, then ■c<> miTg:fprward in very large numjber.s. The work has gone on under the auspices of|,the Women's National Reserve for nearly, four years, Base Records 'beißg'.able to secure the assistance of the voluntary staff whenever the rush occurred, either through heavy casualties or. later through the return of large bodies of soldiers, when 'an enormous number of records had to be classified and particulars prepared from the overseas Army Forms.

■Every voluntary worker has received, at the direction 6f the Minister of Defence, a letter acknoAvledging in grateful terms the assistance rendered to tie Defence Department during four years of very strenuous work. "Base Records * has been very greatly assisted v/hiie working under extreme pressure," statevS this acknowledgement," by being able to call -upon a large body of additional helpers at short notice, and without this help much delay would haye-oc-curred. . . . We realise that without the aid of the Voluntary Staff at critical periods, the next of kin of our absent .s.oldiers would have been caused extra anxiety through delay in supplying all available information. '

An appreciation of this valuable worK lias also been rendered by the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) and the Director" of Base, Records to the Executive of the Women's National Reserve, »0f which organisation all the ladies on the voluntary staff 'were members. The (Women's National Reserve was an important factor in fully maintaining the staff and thus keeping up the continuity «f the work.

The voluntary workers have received official thanks for four years splendid labour. and if the general public could realise all that they have done, they would be equally grateful for this very fine, well sustained war service rendered to the .whole of New Zealand by the wo|taen^ of Wellington.

The prospects of five soldier- settlers at Tuatapere were particularly bright up to a,year ago (says the tavercargill correspondent of the "Otago Daily "Times"), but a disease that has not yet been diagnosed, despite the efforts of veterinary experts, has broken out amongst their cattle^ one man having lost over 60 head. The -War.Fund Association has taken the matter up, and was been advised that the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture will depute an experienced officer to take the best action possible to relieve the soldiers' .hardships.