VOLUNTEER CAMPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 80, 2 April 1908, Page 6

VOLUNTEER CAMPS.

CANTEENS AND SUNDAY DRILL, In view of the fact that 'Easter military encampments will be beld in. the larger centres of the Dominion this month, considerable interest attaches to the resolutions emanating from the Evangelical Church. Council in Wellington, relative to the prohibition of canteens, and the excessive drill the men are alleged to be put through on Sundays. With a view to ascertaining the position in Auckland, a "Star" representative this morning interviewed several of those who have for some years been identified with the holding of camps, and are therefore in a position to give an expression of opinion. Gillam, when approached 6n the subject, spoke strongly against the canteen system. The rev. gentleman said that he did not remember having ever been in a camp in the Auckland province where the canteen was countenanced. He thought it would be a great mistake to ever allow their introduction into volunteer encampments. In the case of an ambulance corps it was, of course, necessary to have liquor included in the stores, but in that case it was under the control of medical officers. "I have read of some disgraceful scenes in the South," the Chaplain-Cap-tain added., "but whether the men in that case disgraced their uniforms at the canteen, or at hotels outside, I do not know. In the Auckland province, however, I have never noticed anything but absolutely exemplary behaviour on the part of the men. If canteens were generally allowed, we clergy would be very chary about encouraging young men to join companies. In the pulpit I have frequently urged young men to do their duty to their country by joining the volunteer forces, but I would certainly hesitate to do so if I knew that they would be submitted to the temptations of liquor while in camp. As far as the Sunday drill is concerned, I must admit having seen very little to complain about. At the same time, my experience has been mostly confined to the mounted men, and not to the infantry, and where horses have to be attended to there is a certain amount of work necessary every day." CHAPLAIN-CAPTAIN LUXFORD also expressed his firm disapproval of the canteen system ever being allowed to prevail in military camps in Auckland. While in South Africa, on active service, the rev. gentleman had the opportunity of studying both the features to which such strong objection has been taken in the South. In South Africa only "dry canteens" were allowed, at which soft drinks were sold, and the behaviour of the men was usually of a model character. It was, he said, always considered dangerous to allow a canteen inside a British camp. In the case of Volunteer encampments, they would be equally dangerous, and for that reason he believed canteens should never be sanctioned. In South Africa Sunday was always observed in the proper spirit, when not on the march, and was looked upon as the chaplain's day. In the same way he considered it should be observed in Volunteer encampments, the morning being devoted to church parade, and the afternoon to the reception of visitors. In some camps he believed there was justification for the complaint that there was 1 too much drill, and also that the men were allowed to indulge in sports, such as football, but having had no experience of Auckland camps, could not speak of what took place locally. COLONEL HOLGATE. In the absence of Colonel Wolfe, Offi-cer-Commanding, Colonel Holgate imparted the information that the canteen was dropped eight years ago from Auckland encampments. There were no special restrictions that he knew of on the subject, but he had never known a case where there had been cause for a complaiDt of insobriety. A canteen, he explained, had not been asked for since the year preceding the South African war, and as far as he knew it was not contemplated that the canteen should be re-instated. "In fact," the Colonel stated, "the camps have for the last six or seven years been almost teetotal, and we have had no trouble with liquor being brought in from outside. As far as the drill question is concerned, it has always been the practice to give due observance to the Sabbath, and the manoeuvring and drill done on that day is fully a third less than on either Saturday or Monday. Church parade is always one of the main considerations. The men are also allowed to receive visitors. In some cases, however, rather than loaf about with nothing to do, the infantrymen have asked to be allowed to go out and work. The coming Easter encampment," the Colonel concluded, "will bo conducted as usual, and we trust to have it carried out on the same model lines of previous years." Tho above appeared in part of yesterday's issue.