THE SIXTH REINFORCEMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8208, 4 August 1915, Page 6

THE SIXTH REINFORCEMENTS.

MAY LEAVE IN TWO OR THREE WEEKS. (From Our Wellington Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 2. The trouble .at Trentham (Jamp and the "National Government" negotia- ! tions have, to a large extent, distracted attention during recent weeks from , the actual work of the troops, some 7DUO .in number, now under training. The sudden removal of the men from Trentham, and their distribution over several camps, interfered considerably with the training, particularly in musketry, since suitable ranges were not readily obtainable under the new conditions. There was'a shortage of instructors, sinco the stali' which had been adequate when all the men were gathered at one point could not be divided -into two or three camps. But this difficulty, was overcome quickly, and it ap: pears, on the whole, that the improvement in the health and spirits of the men, \ consequent upon their removal from the old camp, has balanced any loss suffered in other respects. Training is in full swing again now, and the men are looking well and fit. Some of them—the Sixth Reinforcements—are just finishing their "long leave," and they are expected to leave for their destination within the next two or throe weeks. The Sixth were not taken away from Trentham camp, partly because the time available for the completion of their training was short. It is an open secret that this reinforcement draft is not going .to take horses, and further, that it will be accompanied by mounted men of the Seventh Reinforcements, who also will leave their horses here. The Minister of Defence mentioned the other day that a portion of the horses sent with the Fifth Reinforcements had been landed in India. The fact is that horses are not wanted in the Dardanelles. A few teams were landed there for the use of tho batteries, but they made easy marks for the Turkish snipers, and now mules are being used. The horses that. have been sent away from New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force and subsequent reinforcements are in Egypt, where their care has been a serious problem for the authorities at the New Zealand base. The mounted men of the Seventh (dismounted') ' are reported to be going forward early in order that they may assist in the management of the horses while completing their own training in Egypt. The men are keen to go to the front, but it is a sore blow to them to bo separated from their horses, many of them favourite mounts brought from the home stables or presented by friends. ' ■ -

Future Need for Horses. "An impression prevails in some quarters .-that the Dominion will not require to sand'any more-horses to the front now that the -troops >on G-allipoli are "engaged in trench fighting. , The military authorities are inclined to believo that as the war progresses and I the enemy is worn down the need for | I horses is going to be very great. If the German cavalry had been as effcient as the German infantry the British army probably never would have survived the retreat from Mons. As it was, the British cavalry made the retreat possible by flinging itself time and time again against advancing German columns. The New Zealanders will not spend the whole period of the war on Gallipoli Peninsula. In the meantime, the Dominion"has plenty of horses in hand and in sight for all the purposes of tho next 12 months. Horses and 'men' can be found. The shortage that is imposing a limit upon New Zealand's contributions to the, fighting forces of the Empire is in another direction.

Improved Conditions at Trentham. .' Work is proceeding apace at Trentham camp,, "and any visitor with "half an eye": can gather for himself that the authorities contemplate the -return of the.'tr6ops at no yery distant date. The new camps .are- no permanent abodes. ; Trentham, cleansed of the conditions that made for sickness"and discomfort, :is the place' where the greatest number of-men can;be,.trained-most effectively/ The "contract for. the. erection of the hutments' is; nearm'g completion, and it may be assumed that the report of the Trentham Commission will suggest improvements that will make the buildings suitable for the use of the men. Tho roads and paths are being metalled, the drainage system is being perfected as far as the nature of the country, wjlj permit, and the camp equipment is being overhauled. The condition of. tho camp ground has improved .wonderfully since the weather became dryer and the incessant tramping of thousands of feet ceased to churn up the mud.