SCENE AT THE CAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 77, 3 April 1899, Page 5

SCENE AT THE CAMP.

ENROLLING THE VOLUNTEERS

The prospect of being called upon for active"service galvanised the volunteer camp at PotterVPaddock into wonderful activity on Saturday, and cvcitement ran high as the chances ol active service were discussed lhe hundred and one incidents of camp life that form the usual topics of discussion in our citizen soldiers tented field were all driven out of mind by the one absorbing subject — Samoa. From the moment that the news reached the oaibp on Saturday nothing else was talked about. The Avork mapped out for the forces for that day was brought to a stand-still, and active preparations for the departure of 'the Samoan coutingent' were immediately commenced. The neAVS arrived at the camp on Saturday morning after the forces had been marched out of camp for outpost Avork. Mounted messengers were immediately despatched in all directions to bring in the troops again. The No. 1 Battalion had been marched out by the Remuera Road, and when the news reached them they Avere stationed at the corner of the road by the residence ,of..Mr. W. ..CriOAvther,, MJLE., who, by the way, won the

gratitude of the whole Battalion by sending out numerous bucketfuls of apples for the men. The officer in command Avas instructed to march the men back to camp, and this Avas done without delay. All the forces had been recalled before lunch, and on being drawn up on the parade ground they Avere told to fall in at 2.45 p.m., Avhen volunteers for Samoa Avould be enlisted. The announcement was received with suppressed excitement, and Avhen the men were dismissed a buzz of eager chatter could be heard on every side. Everyone apparently was'"willing to volunteer; the only thing Avhich made some hang back Avas the thought or the kno.vledge that they would be unable to get away from business. And the latter could easily be distinguished by their doleful looks and expressions of disappointment.

At a quarter to three the battalions fell in as ordered on the (parade ground. After the brigade had been drawn up on three sides of a square, Colonel l Jole-Penton addressed the men of the No. 1 Battalion. He mentioned that the offer of the battalion for service at Samoa had been accepted by the Ncav Zealand Government, and said there Avas just a chance that he Avould need the men. He would Avant SO volunteers who would be prepared to leave for Samoa at a feAV hours' notice, perhaps that evening; and 350 men who would be prepared to sail on Wednesday. If he did not get the full number from the No. 1 Battalion, the No. 2 Avould have the chance of filling up the vacancies; but as the services of the No. 1 had been offered in the first instance they Avould have the first chance of volunteering for service.

At the call for volunteers the Avhole battalion came to the front by companies. Colonel Penton then asked those who Avere prepared to leave at a few hours' notice to fall out on the left of the battalion. There Avas a ready response to the call, some companies sending over 20 men apiece, although it was announced that only about ten from each company Avould be required. The non-commissioned officers volunteered almost to a man, but only nine of them could be taken. These were chosen first, and then about 80 rank ,and file Avere picked. Great Avas the disappointment of those avlio Avere not chosen, some of the sergeants, indeed, begged to be alloAved to go as privates, but this was not permitted. Their only consolation avus fte thought that they would go away Avith the 350 on the 'Wednesday. Nor were the No. 1 Battalion the only ones Avho Avished to volunteer. ActingMajor White offered the services of the No. 2 Battalion to Colonel Penton, pointing out that most of the country men were hardy and Avell trained, and thoroughly fit for active service. The Colonel thanked the No. 2 Battalion for their offer. The 'A' Battery (through Captain O'Brien) and the Engineers (through Lieut. Walker) also offered themselves for service in the course of the afternoon, Avhile on Sunday Acting-Major Reid handed in an offer on behalf of the mounted men.

After the first contingent had been selected, the men were marched across to the ambulance tent and formed up on three sides of a square in double line. A table Avas placed in the centre of the square, at which the men Avere to sign the agreement to enlist for special service and be subject to Imperial regtiln..blis. The 'declaration Avhich the meiiisigned ran as folloAVs: 'We, the undersigned, hereby agree Avith the Defence Minister of the Colony of NeAV Zealand to engage under "The Defence Act, 1886," for special service Avithin or beyond the said colony until lawfully'discharged by the said Minister; and we also agree to be subject to the provisions of the "Army Act, 1881," -of the Imperial Parliament, as defined in the said Defence Act. The rate of pay to be in accordance Avith the scale specified in clause 152 of the Regulations of the Volunteer Force in New Zealand, made under the said Defence Act. Dated — day of April, 1899.' [Here folloAved the names.] Each man before he signed was examined in the Ambulance tent by a medical officer, Surgeon-Captains Parkes (of the.Auckland Bearer Corps), and Lindsay (of the No. 3 Native Rifles), being engaged on this Avork. Each volunteer Avas sounded, asked the usual questions as to height, age, any previous illness and so forth. One or tAvo failed to pass the examination; two were summarily rejected for making mistakes in their drill as they formed up outside the tent; but all the rest satisfied requirements. The work Avas lushed through rapidly, each man's o!ace being immediately filled by another as the doctor finisher with him. The only halt Avas when the inevitable camera-man photographed the contingent as they stood round the table, with the on-lookers grouped round in the rear. While the work Avas proceeding the evening iieAvspapers arrived, and the thrill cries of 'Star! Full aeount 'er the AA'ar,' caused a rush for copies of the paper from all parts of the parade ground. The diminutive runners Avho had brought the newspapers Avere almost overwhelmed by the croAvd, and in the space of a minute or two their stock AA-as quite exhausted. One runner hail brought, out a. large sackful of 'Stars'; in a qiiarter-of-an-hour not one AA'as left. The enlisting was finished at half-past five, by Avhich time 85. names. had been appended to the declaration. LIST OF THE FIRST CONTINGENT.

The non-commissioned officers and privates chosen Avere:—Non-commis-slioned officers: Colour-Sergeant W. Mcintosh ('Victoria Rifles), Sergeant. J. D. G. Shera (College Rifles). Sergeant J. B. Donald (College Rifles), Sergeant L. H. Moses (No. 1 Natives), Sergeant W. C. Smith (No. 3 Natives), Corporal G. T. Kretchmar (Victoria Rifles), Corporal H. T. Gorrie (College Rifles), Corporal W. Burgess (College Rifles), Corporal Williams (No. 1 Natives), Corporal 11. Whyte( College Rifles), , Signal-Sergeant R. Aylett, Bugler W. Ellis. Privates: C. M. Hume, 11. T. A. Stephenson, W. H. Farley, J. E.Lavbourn, S. 11. Browne, T. F. Buckley, F. J. Petchell, F. H. Bell, G. R.F. Sayle, J. Carlson, A. Farnal, G. Atkinson, F. Jackson, H. J. S. Sellers, W. Steele, A. L. Williams, J. V. D. Connell, R. Holm Biss, Thomas E. Roberts, B. B. Banks, E. V. Fitzpatriek, J. Nazer, J. Redman, W. 11. Bowler, W. R. Cave, P. C. Bayly, R. L. Corbett, E. S. C. Coates, C. E. Robbis, W. R. Holder, E. Clark, P. T. lung, B. A. Wood, S. ■'. Kent, F. Williams, G. W. Oram, R. J. Cottingham, H. Cutler, H. R. Linkhorn, W. B. Campbell, W. Lepine, F. McDonald, A. J. Hill, M. McLeod, F. Morrill, W. CoAvan, J. W. Martin, P. C. Firth, J. E. Alexander, W. F. Wilson, A. R. H. Francis, lI.'R. Hesketh, A. Peters, L. Challis, F. Herring, R. Cunningham, P. J. Skeates, C. Whitley, J. W. Smith, R. Young, P- P- Camp ton,. J. ; E... Jeplcip,. R. Owens. Vohmteer bearer corps:

H. M. Doull (corporal). P. W. McCallum, W. F. A. Pullen, H. M. Williams, C. HollowaA'.

Quarter-master Sergeant Kearsley was also selected to act as Quartermaster to the Battalion on service.

When the la; t of the eighty-five had appended his .ignature to tbe declaration, the contingent were marched doAvn to the tents and instructed by Sergeant-Major Carpenter as to what each man Avould require:—Rifle and accoutrements, flannel belt, tAvo pairs of boots, and so on. At a quarter to six the men were dismissed and allowed to go in to town to make their arrangements for leaving, with instructions to return to camp at 10 p.m. Tavo bag-gage vans had meanAvliile been despatched to town under an escort, Avith camp equipment for the contingent. SUNDAY AT THE CAMP.

At the camp yesterday His Excellency stated to Major Murray that, in his opinion, the enlistment of the volunteers Avould require the consent of the other Treaty Powers, as well as Great Britain, and that for diplomatic reasons it Avas not likely to be accepted. His Excellency expressed his pleasure at the patriotism displayed in camp, and his hearty approval of all steps taken by the volunteers. Colonel Pole-Penton also considers that there is little likelihood of the troops being sent.

Throughout the evening Samoa was the only subject of discussion. It was expected that news of the acceptance or rejection of the A'olunteers by the Home Government would reach the camp by half-past twelve that night, and all awaited the result with eagerness. The officers were, on the whole, not very sanguine as to the chance of the Battalion's serA'ices being accepted; but the}- hoped for the best. The night wore on, hoAvever, and still no word arrived. The last order issued on Saturday in connection Avith the departure was that Acting-Major White (No. 1 Victorias), Lieut, Wither (College Rifles), and Lieut. Thompson (No. 3 Natives), and Surgeon-Captain Aubin were to hold themselves in readiness to leave Avith the detachment Avhenever the order came.

On Sunday morning-, after church parade, the contingent Avere paraded and informed that they were not yet under orders, but that they must hold themselves in readiness to leave as soon as the call came. The Major stated that the contingent Avouid be paid from the time they went on board the Tutanekai, and not, as some of them had expected, from Saturday, the day of their enlistment.

Sunday passed without the long-looked-for 'call to arms,' the various rumours to the contrary that circulated about the camp all proA'ing fictitious. By the afternoon the hopes of the men Avere down very near to zero. NeAvs reached the camp that thousands of people were Avaiting on the wharf to see the volunteers depart; but it Avas poor consolation to feel that these, too, were doomed to disappointment. So Sunday passed—without the order.