ABOUT THE LINES

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14338, 25 April 1912, Page 8

ABOUT THE LINES

NOTES HERE AND THERE.

If tho man who is in camp has half tho pleasuro that the mere reporter who visits him has, his lot is a pleasant one. One could ask nothing better than the day they gave a "Press" representative out there. The one tiling that the reporter fears when ho is on such a mission is that ho will bo given baro bones of information, officially, and nothing more. On Tuesday morning within ten minutes of the time ho arrived they had begun to make him happy. Ho was. to bo freo of lines to see what ho could, and to talk to thoso who would talk to him ho might mess with the men, with the officers, or with newly ordeirod Sergeants' mess, of which the non-coms aro so proud. The first talk was always of the Prohibition Party's allegations. And tho tale was always denied and a full enquiry courted. Certainly it was , not elenied that a man might havo brought a flask in with him: but he would have had no more when that was finished. Ho would bo a fool, all said, who took sue-h a risk—if ho were an officer ho would lose his commission certainly, anel if he wero a man the stigma of such a breach of faith would follow him into civilian life.

Colonel R. H. Rhodes talked for a littlo whilo on the quality of the horses. They were serviceable, he said, but tho average duality was not as good as it would havo been before tbo contingents left. In this camp there wero many animals of fine stamp, but also there wore somo which were scarcely more than ponies, and others too heavy for the work. The trotting strain, too, grew moro apparent as the years passed. Askeel as to the men, he declared that he was satisfied.

Finally the reporter ato in the medical section with the sergeants. Thero was a plentitudo of food, served cleanly and whilo warm. It was not, of course, a restaurant meal, but it was good to have. Tho privates, at the next table, ato tho same rations, and did equal justice to tho big, boiled Spanish onions and the tender roasted mutton. That, night Surgeon-Major Fenwiok took him to the officers' mess, and again all was quite good. Yesterday morning when things wero worse than damp, the cooks rose to the occasion and each man, officer, or private, had enough to eat.

One matter which the public knows little about is the amount of clerical labour involved. Captain "Blair, the Adjutant, has no moment to himself. The record books wait in piles for his attention, and the letters to be answered are many. It is the same with the other officers, they say. Being

a soldier seems to mean being s"?"M thing of a clerk, as well as something ; of nearly everything else. . Tho two tents of the Church ot Lug- j land Men's .Society are perhaps tne best institutions iii th'- camp. Hiey aro iv constant use, and in one day nearly three hundred letters have been written in the writing tent and sent off. The social tent, too, ha-s proved a lino thing, nnd concerts —there are many players nnd entertainers —have, helped the evenings to pass. Unfortunately the social tent was one of those that caught the gale on Tuesday night. and yesterday morning it was almost down. Important as it is. its lfiss was not felt so much as was the downfall of the four men's mess tents, and the sergeant?.' moss. It was a wet, wet ramp yesterday morning. The ways between the tent - ; were almost under wator. and overythine seemed strangely silent. There were few men about, and those who wore, declared that they were "wet to the very soul:" and a moment later they would be ready to testify that the Government overrents kept out the rain well. They were at duties as usual by eitrht o'clock, and so far as one could judre thero was no grumbling. Only here and there a man asked as to the horses. Tbo anxiety was all for them. The difficulty of shortened mess accommodation * was overcome, and the cooks did their share well. By eight-thirty there was stew, splendidly hot. for the mess, and boiled sausages for the officers. If anything would test the enthusiasm of these men it should be a night l'ke Tuesday's,- and a morning such ns yesterday's. But they appeared content. ".Service conditions," said one. and tho word went round, and even the men told off for fatigue laughed nt the idea.