RETURNING SOLDERS

Waikato Times, Volume 90, Issue 14024, 29 March 1919, Page 5

RETURNING SOLDERS

PJOTIFVING NEXT-OF-KIN. (By Telegraph—Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Thousands of New Zealanders are awaiting the welcome notification from Base Records that their soldier relative is on his way to New Zealand. Therefore they will he interested to know how the Defence Department deals with the next-of-kin of returning drafts. About 14 days before a ship is due to arrive, Base Records sends out to the next-of-kin of each man abroad a notification that cabled advice of the soldier’s return has been received, that he is on a boat named, and the probable date of arrival is mentioned, fi'he recipient is advised to wa'tch the newspapers for any alteration in the arrival date. It will be seen from this that next-of-kin should carefully maintain at Base Records their correct address. The authorities do not object to noting even brief changes from the usual address, so long as they know that they can reach the soldier’s relatives quickly With the notification. As the soldier is sent to his home address as quickly f.s possible after disembarkation, his next-of-kin are advised to await him at home, and they will receive a telegram immediately the ship arrives, mentioning the time at which the soldier should reach home. When .next-of-kin travel to the port of disembarkation they often have to put up with the disappointment of not being able to travel back with their soldier relative, as the special trains must bo reserved for the soldiers. Though the Defence Department does not encourage next-of-kin to visit the port of disembarkation, they afford special facilities on the wharf for the soldier’s relatives. Next-of-kin passes arc obtainable by bona-fide next of kin at the Defence headquarters of the district where the soldier will disembark, except in the case of Wellington, where the issue of these tickets Is made from the more conveniently' situated office of Base Records, at the back of Government Buildings. If an invalid soldier is sufficiently well (o be granted a week’s leave he is allowed to go home for that period, and then report for trea'ment at a hospital. Where this cannot be done and the soldier lias to go s'raight into hospital, his wife and parents are entitled Upon making application' to Base Records, Wellington, to receive free return railway warrants to visit the patient in hospital. If the soldier has no wife or parent, one railway warrant is available to his next-of-kin.