THE TENTED FIELD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1026, 16 January 1911, Page 4

THE TENTED FIELD.

"FOOTIES" IN CAMP, "SAID THE SERGEANT OF. THE LINE": (Br Wi.) "This," : said the Sergeant apologetifl. ally, as he. pointed to a' seat, "is a tee- ' total camp—new Act, you know.". "Um," said I. "S.oino lemonade?"- . "I . suppose so." 3e passed me a glassful and we talked.' "The last. battalion camp we had was—let's • see—fivo years ago, back in. 1906," .he said.. "Big mistake ever ; to have stopped them. This camp is the best thing out for getting the companies to pull together." ;

"Much doing yet?" v "Well—we're kept busy. There's 571 all told?, in camp. We marched up 'in col-, umn from the. Garrison, Hall yesterday afternoon. ■ Left there ;at; half-past two, and '.got to Karori about five. By the time things were ship-shape and tea wasready it was seven o'clock. There wasn't: much doing last nights-just, settling down, and studying camp duties.. This being Sunday, they let us lie till 6 o'clock —it'll' be a 4 a.m. revally to-morrow morning— and after breakfast and tent inspection, we got ready for church parade." "You've left out the circus," said tli« 'junior sergeant. ' ' . t "Oh, yes. Of course. You see, some blighter got away with ' the adjutant's liorse last night, and ran him into a wire fence. When he mounted the noble Arab this morning, the spurs, tickled him up' where, the fence had scratched him the night before. Then a bit of paper . blew up into his face, and ( before you could say "knife,' the battalion was watching "a circus. He hung ~bn-for all- ' he was worth till the saddle slipped round, and then he had to quit." "Was he hurt?" "He's a bit bruised and stiff,"but he'a still able to smile. Reminds me of the time when Colonel Collins's horse . got tired and sat down under him. ;.That's a long time ago—when ho was O.'C. Battalion. But that's another story/' A shadow fell across the tent door. "Are you there, sergeant?" "Yes, sir." • "There's a man over there walking': about wearing civilian trousers and a. tunic. Tell him to take them off.". A , few second later a startled private van- V ished into a tent, and the scandalised, I ', sergeant returned, flushed with victo'ry.. "He's only a. rooky," lie explained, in', mitigation of tho offence against eood order and military discipline. "Well, after the circus we had church parade, and. then company reconnaissance work/'j among the lulls. Got back atiialf-past one, had dinner) Hullo! There's the • Garrison Band. We are 'at home' to the public this afternoon, and the band, for four quid, will discourse sweet music —about a pound per toon." - "But I thought the band belonged to the Garrison?". : "You're not the only one who has ..thought that. AVait till you see our battalion band—OUß band. '~ = "Did tho .Garrison. Band ..play you into camp?" "As far as the Gardens." "Um" ■ ' ' "Yes. I' think it is 'um.'"' "What's the food like?" "Tip-top. Might be more of it, thouglu The Water's good. Clear spring water, ; medically, tested. "Any'accidents?", ' "A corporal' in the Highlanders—M'Kie —broke his leg when lie..was out-recon-noitring this morning.. He was jumping . , a creek and came down too stiffly. They' improvised a stretcher—this happened about' a mile from camp—and brought him .in. ' Surgeon-Major Begg and the Field Ambulance Corps fixed him up, and he was. taken -to town." "I suppose the question,.of compensation will crop up? !J -- "A Board of Inquiry sat to-day and took evidence. AYell, I must get "along,. , AYe get general leave this evening." THE BATTALION CAMP, PROGRESS AT KARORI. The battalion camp, which is situated on dry soil-on the Ivarori Recreation Ground, is a. pretty site. There are 101 tents in all, and tho temporary addition to the population of the borough is . 571, made up as follows:—Staff, 10; A. Company, .53; B Company, 47; C Com-, pany, 44; D Company,' 62; E. Company,'! 62} F. Company," 52; G Company, 64; ? H Comptinv, CO; I Company, ■ 44; O.T.C. (completing their cours'e), G; Field Ambul-' ance/Corps, 45; Cycle Corps, 22. t Lieut.-Colonel AY. G. Duthie is in com- 1 mand, his staff including Hajors C. D.. Mackintosh and C. Harcourt Turner, Cap-tain-and-Adjutant J. A. Cowles,' Acting-Pay-and-Quartermaster Captain Henderson, Assistant Quartermaster Lieut. Wilkinson, Col.-Sergeant Frandi, Battalion Sergeant-Major; Sergeant Gardiner, ; Battalion Quartermaster. Captain Beere,.of the . 0.T.C., is attached for duty, andCaptain Greenish .and Lieutenants Quick' ana Cooper, of the.Boys' Institute Cadets, for instruction. The camp is connected by telephone with .the and" free transport on the cars, in the "shape of--twelve trip tickets,'has been allowed the battalion during their, stay at Karori. Strict orders have been issued warning ' the men against vandalism. There is.alarge number of Tecrnits in . camp.* A large number of people visited the camp during the afternoon^.

. THE CHURCH PARADE. '■ The church parade was a most successful one. Divine service was conducted by Chaplain-Major the Rev. W. Shirer, who preached from Corinthians xvi, 13, framing'upon his test an inspiring address 1 appropriate to his congregation. . He ... ut;ge<l them to bo jratchf ul, like sentinels; - firm, like the nien of tho Thin Red Line ' and Rorke's Drift; and. to acquit. them-.- 1 selves with' the energy and tenacity-of-' the men of Waggon- Hill. ...The preaches also referred to the great work .which ..' lay before them as participants in the. ■ development of a new scheme for the da- ; fence of the Dominion and of the Empire.-

Those who desired to attenji the Roman Catholic service wore given ah opportunity of doing so, Father Herring, chaplain of the St. Anne's Cadets, conducting a short service in a house near the camp°* The local Primitive ' Methodist minister has invi led.adherents of that Church to ■ attend divine service while in camp. ' i ENGINEERS' CAMP. The Wellington Engineers went intocamp at Mahanga Bay on Saturday for a ' sixteen days' course of instruction. In future, no officers will be selected for ; promotion in rank unlfss they have qualified ■by examination for tho rank above that which they at present' hold.