VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENTS.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7517, 5 April 1890, Page 6

VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENTS.

The Easter encampment of the. 3Sforth Canterbury Volunteers, though not on as large a scale as others in former years, nevertheless gives promise of some useful •work for the men. When the subject' of a camp was brought up, several sites were as usual discussed. The reason which chiefly weighed in the selection of Hillsborough was that it would give the officers and men an opportunity of exercising over, and making themselves acquainted with, the country upon which operations would extend in the event of an enemy making an attempt to land a force and march upon Christchurch. There. :wa3 also a feeling in the minds of some of the officers that if a camp were occasionally held near home it: -would give the public a chance to see the Volunteers at work, and thereby increase their interest in the cause. To the men themselves, however, distance lends enchantment to the scene, and the further away from home and the Work and worry of daily life the more they enjoy %he annual camp and the exercises tney have to go through. Though the attendance this year is not large, there is a good muster, much better than was expected. The camp is situated on Mr Morten's property, and is situated close to the Lyttelton water supply reservoir, the site of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association in 18tJ7. The ground is level and covered with short. English grass,, so that no clearing had to be done. A fatigue party, under Major Newall, had been busy since Tuesday in pitching the camp, &c, and everything was ih readiness for the men on Thursday evening. The tents are pitched in columns of companies-from north to south, with the head of lines facing the north. Besides the officers' and men's tents, there are the mess tents ot the officers, G.T.C. and E Battery, band and Hospital tents, canteen, &c. The staff-officers' tent's are situated along a fence at right angles to the south - end of the. lines. The stablea are situated' in a 'triangular piece of ground enclosed by gorse hedges, which forms a good shelter for the horses. The stalls are, formed of hurdles, which have been kindly, lent by the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. A supply of splendid water is obtained from the pipes of the reservoir, for which permission was granted, by the Lvtteiton Borough Council. The G.Y.C., Mounted Rifles and E Battery were the first to arrive in camp on Thursday evening, the Rangiora and Kaiapoi Rifles next, then followed the Lyttelton Navals and N Battery. The city corps mustered at the Drill Shed, and were played to the Railway Station by the Garrison, Band, leaving by special train at 9.35 p.m. There was a large concourse of people to see them - oft; They arrived in camp about an hour later, the Garrison Band again marching at their head. The entraining anddetraining was done in a most satisfactory manner, and without a hitch. Staff-Instructor. Finn had the kitchen fires lighted,, and tea made ready for them on arrival, and,it was not long before preparations lor the night were completed. Plenty of straw was available for beds. The rations served out to the men are. on -a. fairly liberal scale, and all of good quality. Mr R. Brown, of Woolston, supplies meat; the Canterbury Bread Company, bread; Messrs Anderson and Jameson, .tea and coffee, &c The oveus are dug out in a line at the rear, and have a much heater appearance than when made without any semblance of regularity* Thehard-elayey sod was well suited for cutting out the ovens and consequently they worked without trouble. Before going on to speak of the arrangements for the work of the the camp, it must dot be forgotten to mention that the canteen, indispeusible in all weathers, and more especially in the almost tropical and thirst-provoking heat of yesterday, is in the "careful hands of Mr P. Burke, of the Southern Cross Hotel at Addington, whose fame as a caterer is now well established. The number of men Who went into camp on Thursday was added to by a few arrivals yesterday, when the total strength was as follows:— ~".. » C.V.C., Captain Wright ... . .... 23 Canterbury Mounted Captain Recce ... .., - .. . :.:/.;•. 20 Lyttelton Naval Artillery, Capt. Rose 31 S Battery. Artillery, Captain Martin (with Captain Jackson attached) ... .34 N Battery Artillery, Lieutenant Brlee 23 Canterbury Engineers, Capt. Webster 26 City Guards, Captain Bishop .... ■.' ..28 College Rifles, Captain Harper, ... 29 Christchurch Rifles, Captain Bristow 30 Sydenham Rifles, Captain Anderson ... 29 Canterbury Scottish Bides, Captain - Campbell ... , . ..,* 6 Richmond Rifles, Captain Bowron .... 41 Irish Rifles, Captain Whitesides ... 22 Kaiapoi Rifles, Lieutenant Wilson ... 44 Rangiora Rifles, Captain Fulton ... 34 Garrison Band, Bandmaster Searell ... 17 District Staff... ... 2 Permanent Staff ... ... .'. ' ... 4

Total '.... "* ... ...447 The Permanent Staff officers present were Brevet Colonel Lean, Major Newall and Staff Instructors Barrett- and Finn. The District Staff officers were Majors Slater and Francis.. .Captain Coleman, drill instructor of the C.V.C., is supervising officer of the camp. The following appointments have been made for the camp -—Chief of. the Staff, Major Slater; Brigade Major, Major Newaii; Camp Sergeant-Major, Stan' Instructor Barrett; Quartermaster Sergeant, -Staff Instructor Finn. The captain and subaltern of the day on Thursday were Captain Bishop and Lieutenant Wilson respectively, and yesterday these posts were filled' by Captain Harper and Lieut. Miller. OnThursday the quarter guard were the City Guards, rear guard Rangiora Rifles, and yesterday the College Rifles were quarter guard, and Irish Rifles rear. The following is the daily routine : — " Reveille," 5.30 a.m.; dress, 6; guard mounting,. squad drill, and issue of rations, 6.30; breakfast, 8; orderly room and dress, 8.30; parade for company driil, 10; dinner, 12.30" D.m. ; dress, 1.30; afternoon parade, 2; tea, 5.30; retreat, sunset; dress for guard, 6; guard mounting, 6.30; tattoo first post, 9.30: last post, 10; orderly sergeants, 10.15; lights out, 10.30 p.m. It is intended if the weather remains suitable to strike the camp, and re-pitch it during the encampment at an hour which will be notified. Yesterday morning the various companies were exercised in their respective branches of work. The infantry corps were given company" driU; and the Christchurch Rifles did some signalling work, the rugged spurs of the hills above the camp offering plenty of faculty for this useful branch of service. The E Battery did some battery and gun drill, the N Battery and Lyttelton Nazals going through to Port, where, they were exercised, and they returned in the afternoon. The C. Y.C. were put through squad drill, and the Mounted Rifles did reconnoitreing work among the roads in the Heathcote Valley. The heat was so great in the afternoon that work was not resumed till half past three. The Rifle Corps were given battalion drill by Major Newall, and the C.V.C. did reconnoitreing work, and the Mounted Rifles had some company drilL The Engineers were engaged during the day in erecting a floating bridge over the Heathcote River, out the work was rendered somewhat difficult by the leaky state of the casks, as they had not been in use for two years, and required soaking to render them water tight. As has been remarked the weather was exceedingly hot during the day, and one case of sunstroke occurred. It may be here mentioned that Corporal Gardner is acting as Hospital Orderly, the chief Ambulance officer being Dr Anderson. Other medical officers on the ground during the day were Drs Irving, Jennings, Parsons, and Hunt. So far there has been but little sickness in the camp. There was one case of influenza in the hospital, and one or. two slight attacks of "La Grippe" were heard of. A huge number of visitors attended the camp yesterday, but on the whole the day was a very quiet one, as owing to the heat no one could exert himself more than was actually necessary. The. .men on the whole were quiet and well behaved on Thursday night. Constables Bennetts and McCormick are on duty in the camp for the purpose of preserving order amongst the civilians who attend it. The camp, when tidied up yesterday morning, presented a neat and trim appearance, and year by year improvements are noticed in the arrangements and conveniences in the tents. In the afternoon, yesterday, the skirl of the pipe* of the pipers belonging to the Canterbury Scottish Bines could be occasionally heard, and in the evening, while the officers were at dinner, the Garrison Band played a number of choice selections, which were highly 1 appreciated. They also played during the evening. On Sunday afternoon they Will play a sdeet psogramme of music Today soma practical work will be given, the men. It is understood the programme will be somewhat as follows:—The Chrfst-

church Hifles will go through by train to Port and will endeavor to re-cro3s the niiis at Evans' Pasa. The Artillery and Infantry will go round by the Sumner road[to intercept them, and the C. Y.C. and Mounted Rifles will be in the advance to reconnoitre. The men will parade at the camp at half past nine. - : . Iα the evening there will probably be a camp fire. , ._... Arrangements have been made bythe Very Bey. the Dean relieving the. Rev. Thos. Flavell, for the latter to conduct divine service at the camp at 11 a.m. tomorrow. [PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS,] AUCKLAND, April 3. ▲bout 250 of the Volunteers of the Auckland Garrison went into camp at Fort Takapuna N to-night, and a number will probably join to-morrow. WELLINGTON, April 3. The Wellington, Wairarapa, and Petone Volunteers go into camp at Island Bay this evening. It is expected that the muster will be about 500. The Westport, Blenheim, and Marlborough men arrive to-morrow forenoon, and their addition will bring the total number of men under canvas up to 850. April i. The Nelson and Marlborough volunteers arrived by the Hinemoa at eight o'clock this morning, and at once proceeded out to the camp at Island Bay. The Westport contingent arrived by the Kenned; at 2.30 p.m., and left town an hour later. Operations at the camp today were confiued to squad, company, and battalion drill, which were witnessed by a large number of townspeople. Tomorrow afternoon skirmishing and attack formations will be indulged in. DUNEDIN, April 4.

To-day was observed as a closed holiday. Large numbers visited Taihuna Park, where the Volunteer encampment is held, between 400 to 500 men being under canvas. From 6 to 7.30 squad drill was indulged in, from 9 to 11 company drill, and from 2 to 4 battalion drill. To-morrow striking and re-pitching tents, outpost duties, and skirmishing attack will be practised.