THE CAMBRIDGE CAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1913, Page 8

THE CAMBRIDGE CAMP.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent) . •• .. CAMBRIDGE, this day. . Anyone who visits the Territorials' camp at Cambridge can. come to but one conclusion, namely, that it is an ideal spot; and after inspecting it yesterday, I concluded that every preparation for the comfort of the officers and men has been made. . There are few individuals who would place their estate at the disposal of the Department as Mr. James Taylor has done with "Bardowie," and there are few estates that have adjoining to them a similar park to the Victoria, on which the annual iWiaikato Central (Show and Waikato Hunt Club .races are held, which the Association have also placed at the disposal of the Department, together with the use of the grandstand and other buildings thereon.

The Cambridge Borough Council have laid on a plentiful supply of water, which for "purity cannot be excelled in the Dominion; and yesterday the Mayor (Mr. Dickenson) arranged to. have the water laid on to a temporary canvas ewimming bath, 20ft. long by 20ft. wide and 4ft. deep, which the. Department 13 providing. This. bath will "be situated at the corner of Victoria and Taylor Streets, but within the grounds, in which the men can' refresh themselves after their arduous day's work. It will be supplied by the main that runs down Victoria Street, and will thus be entirely independent of .the one that supplies the other parts of the camp, so a3 not to interfere with it. The supply of. pure water is a most important one, and in order that there should not be any lack of it, four large tanks,, of a capacity of 2,000 gallons each, have been erected in various parts of the grounds, to cope with any extraordinary demand that should suddenly be made upon it. Each regiment has ite allotted ground, on which tents are erected, and the necessary cook-houses, latrines, destructors, etc., are arranged at the back. Bverything is kept in good order, the destructors swallowing up all papers, garbage, and other matters that would tend to impair the health of the troops. There are already close upon 500 tenta pitched, but the full complement will be 526 when all are complete. Most of the work has been done under the supervision of Captain C. W. Melvill, BrigadeMajor, N.Z.S.C., who has had a particularly busy time- At the present between 800 and 900 men are in camp, most of them being those who for various circumstances have not been able to pnt in the requisite number of attendances at drill, and consequently have to be an additional four days in camp to make up for it.

Saturday proving a wet day, the advance guard had a somewhat dreary time, and a3 the tents did not all prove water-tight, their slumbers were disturbed by water trickling on 'to their beds. However, Sunday broke fine and sunny, and any little discomforts of the previous night were soon forgotten, and all appeared in good spirits.

Early on Sunday morning some 300 men of the 15th Regiment came into camp from the Whangarei district, but ac the epecial train which conveyed them from Auckland was about nine hours on the journey, there was considerable grumbling. However, after a hearty breakfast and a rest, the long journey was soon forgotten. On Friday next the camp will ibe in full swing, and there will then be about 3,000 of all ranks in it.

The encamped parties will consist of Colonel R. Logan (Officer Commanding the Auckland District)', with his brigade and adminietrative staff, 3rd Regiment (Auckland), 6th Regiment (Hauraki), loth Regiment (North Auckland), 16th Regiment (Waikato), Auckland InfantrySignal Company, No. 1 Field Ambulance, and about 40 Senior Cadet officers. Lieutenant-Colonel Knox (Quarter-master-General to the Forces) will also be present. Colonel C. T. Major, the Brigadier in command of the camp, arrived on Monday afternoon.