LOCAL CAMPS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15460, 13 December 1915, Page 8

LOCAL CAMPS.

DEPUTATION" TO MINISTERS. CABINET TO CONSIDER THE MATTER. Ton members of Parliament waited upon tiie Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) and tho Defence Minister (the Hon. James Allen) at Wellington on Saturday (says y the "Post") to urge that preparatory and receiving camps be established in various centres. The deputation was headed by Dr. Timelier, and comprised Sir James Carroll (Gisbornc), Messrs J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapn), S.vkes (Masterton), G. Witty (Iticcarton), C. H. Poole, J. Payne, J. ,S. Dickson (Auckland), Field (Nelson), and Parata (Wellington). General Robin and Colonel Gibbon were also present. Dr. Thackcr said he had organised tho deputation. He had communicatcd with every member of Parliament, and had received the following replies:— From Ministers, non-committal answers (laughter); four adverse expressions of opinion; and tho rest replies favourable to the desire of the deputation. These replies lie would hand to tho Prime Minister. He called upon Mr Poolo to express the Auckland feeling. Mr C. H. Poole said that his and his colleagues' desire was to do tho best they could for recruiting, and he had found, during his recruiting work, that local interest, such as camps, or the presence of khaki, would create, was of great recruiting assistance. In the South Island, where there were no such camps, this idea was very prevalent. Camps were also wanted to which men could go as soon as they felt the call to enlist, so that they--should not get "cold feet" and withdraw. Tho idea was not to interfere with headquarters arrangements ; there were officers available to do the work. They did not want to have compulsion necessary, and this was their idea of helping to get recruits. Racing clubs and agricultural societies would help by placing their grounds and buildings at the disposal of the authorities. He believed that the very fino responso of Wellington men was due to tho presence of the camp here. In the South, where it was said the response was not so good, there were no camps. He emphasised that it was not in any way desired to improve tho efficiency of the training or to interfere, with tho military organisation. But officers returning from the front with minor injuries could be engaged at these camps, and prepare them for the central camp, where they would get their final training. Mr Poole also read a letter from Mr Gunson. Mayor of Auckland, saying that the Auckland feeling was unanimous in favour of local camps; suggesting two in tho North Island and two in the south. The matter, said Mr Poole, (vss a national one, and their desire iiad nothing about it of petty local Feeling. 3>r. Thacker said he had been at tiass meetings in the South Island, -jid tho expressed feeling was in favour of tho preparatory camps. It was only preparatory camps they required, and lot. such large institutions as Trentham and Taiihorenikau. Men with ninor infirmities such as bad teeth, raricose veins, and other such defects

as cculd be remedied, could go there to be fitted for tho central camp. Ho urged that the request of the deputation was a national one, and one worthy of full consideration by the National Government. He said that even the one display the Christchurch citizens had seen of the lit troops had done good to recruiting there. To have the local camps in the South Island would also allow the men week-ends at home, and parents also would be kept m closer touch with them. The staffing could bo done by officers returned from the. front, or men they already had available in the South, and he instanced the good work that had already been done bv Colonel Chaffev and others iu this direction. In conclusion, Dr. lhacker said that if the deputation had been held. r,ay, on Tuesday, ■> they could have had forty members present. Sir James Carroll, speaking from a Gisborno point of view, said tho difficulty in their centre where men came in from the country to enlist was that the men while waiting drifted awav; and their idea was to have a ' holding" camp, at which to havo tho men put through their preparatory stages. Gisborno was doing this at its own cost. (Hear, hear.) Mr G. Witty urged that if these camps worn not conceded conscription would be necessarv

Mr J. Payne also emphasised that the role idea of the deputation was to obtain recruits. The Defence Minister: What about training them? Mr Payne: "Before you can train them you must get them." Mr Payne affirmed what other speakers had said as to local camps helping recruiting. He did not agree thero was anv need for conscription when 109,000 men had signified their willingness to serve; local camps were not urged as an alternative, but merely to help to get the recruits into camp. Substantiating remarks were made by Mr T. A. Field, Nelson j -who also suggested adapting a form of training the Militia so many days a week, according to their classes. Mr J. T. M. H'ornsby emphasised tho desirability, especially in the country, of placing the men in camp immediately they com© in to enlist. He could give several instances of -where men had taken contracts while they were waitinn- after enlistinc. Tho Defence 'Minister: But we get eventually. Mr Hern shy replied that there were a good many that the Defence Department had not trot. Numbers of men had complained to him that they had been "put on one side." as they expressed it. Thev would not like work which the Labour Department or Dofence representatives offered to provide for them. < "Vou know the feeling in Auckland pretty well as I do," was the remark of Mr Dickson, who also emphasised th*> main request of the deputation. Mr Sykes gave supporting expressions of opinion, and instanced cases of tho effect of having soldiers mixing with the men they wanted to obtain. Both the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister emphasised that notliing must bo allowed to interfere with the training system which had received such great praise from the authorities at tho front in the effect it had in turning out such fine troops from New Zealand! Mr Massev said there seemed to be something in the suggestion for receiving or holding camps, and as the deputation had ursred it as a national request, representing the feeling of the country. Cabinet would go Into the matter and take the advico of the military authorities next week. Incidentally Mr Massey said it was likely that the February troopships would leave from Auckland.