MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1186, 22 July 1911, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

CITIZENS AND THE ARMY. WHAT THE HAMILTON PEOPLE DID. ______ \ (Edited By Echewn.] No serious difficulty"is anticipated by tlio Commonwealth Dcfwico Department in manning (ho small arms factory at Lithgow (stales a contemporary). Tho plmit, for tho factory is on ils way from Amcricn, and it has been ascertained that Iho six Australian artisans sent to Pratt nml Whitney's factory to watch its constriiclipii are all coming back to' Au>Iralia. They will Ih; available as trained supervisors in tho now Commonwealth luctory, and' will assist in the setting up of tin , plant. Other men will have to be trained before tho iactory assumes tho full programme of works mapped out lor it, but tho bulk of the Inborn , will bo unskilled,, amounting to little more, than the lieding of automatic machinery. Tho plant will arrive this month, and tho factory will bo opened about the cud of September.

•Tho Australian Military Board has decided that, in order to further tho systematic and progressive training; of all ranks, in tho ossontids of "good marching, accurate controlled shooting, and combination of all arms in attack unci defence," tho attention of the citizen forces during tho financial year 1!I1M!H2 will bo specially directed to practical methods of attack and defence. The. conduct of marches, reconnaissance, and protective duties, which were taught in 1910-1911, will bo included, and nt least one day in each camp will be devoted to "reiresiior" exercises in these subjects. A special syllabus of attack and defpiice exercises has boon • drawn up for each branch of tho service. No cadets will be taken to cauitk in future.

Reference was recently made 'by tho • Australian Acting-Minister for Defence to tho difficulties of training cadets in tho streets. This method will be noressary in those districts in which drill halls have not been provided by the municipal authorities, as .the Federal Government will not pay rent for more limn' storerooms in each area. Discussing the , announcement in "Tho Arc" that municipal councils fed that they cannot uive up rental for town halls, a"nd alfo obiect to tho rsa.-cf hnllg for drills, because of the damage (o the dancing floors, , Sena-- • lor 'irGregoi- said:—"Drill halts are a"'' great eoinforl and convenience, for niehi"drills; but not ,1 necessity. All tile.re- '■'"' emit drill e£ tho old volunteers of :19 years ago was done by street lamps or on. moonlight nights. There are now 51)0 localities in which training is being con- .. ducted, most being the -headquarters of four.or fivo companies. To supply buildintjs for all these would cost about JC1.000,ODO, and tin's, too, at a lime when it is .necessary ..to, find large sums of money for im-reatod rillo raneej and moro military «iuipment, which cannot be dispened with. Senator Pearce appealed 16 . the municipal and other local governing ■-. lxidies throughout Australia to assist,' and in most cases help, has been, given..,-. I am sorry if.'s<llllo of. our boys have,to drill out in the cold, -when others aro. ill 'coiiiforljblc halls, but tho distinction ■ should be quitu-clear to-the'fathers of ' (he lails. No doubt, tho fact Hint a certain town hall is wanted for dancesSevery night in the,' winter appears a very % scri- _ ous inatlor to the local finance committee, ''■ but I think the ratepayers will, insist.. on their boys having a reasonable use. of tho municipal property. If it;.comes,, to tho worst, the parents should do "as, in tho past,.and, by means of public/in'-'. Icrlainments, raise funds for more accommodation. Bluntly put. the Commonwealth Government has all it can do (0 provide the absolute necessities of defence, and comforts must be supplied by local self-help." .

Probably tho most,, interesting , fenini-0,,, ■of tho military camp, held last mouthful; ;„., Kcwslcad (near Hamilton, Waikalo), was the excellent, work done by .the citizens' committee organised by Colonel Allan Bell for the purpose of making camp life attractive and for tiie betterment) of the forces under his command.. Members-of tho committee- - constant visitors at ■ tho camp from its commencement, and their oil-arts were highly appreciated by tho troops. Tho citizens' committee consisted of three-' sections—tilt regimental inslituto committee, the entertainment committee, and tho visiting committee. Tho first thing that struck the visitor as he approached thh camp on tho Tramway Eoad was four largo marquees pitched in line, cud on, connected so that they formed 0110 large- npartment, and siir,mounted by a. lal-jje dalieo'sigu bearing the-, •inscription "National -League of -Neir, Zealand," "Citizens' Committee's-. R*giniental Institute and Dry Canteen." This section was run entirely by the institute committee. The marquee nearest the on-, franco gate- wns set apart as a "dry , canteen and barber's shop, and hero during tho hours when not engaged 111 drill wcro to bo found dozens of men purchasing luxuries not provided in tho camp bill of fare such as fruit, confectionery,'. drapery, and soft drinks; while-others.,., were putting on some, , .."front form,;' -by ... being operated upon by the citizens- com-,..-, mitten's barber. The committee also ran a post office and telephone office. Ihe , latter they owe to the. generosity of a, local citizen, who allowed his private wiro to be tapped. In tho three remaining marquees wcro long rows of tables covered with hundreds of magazines and illustrated papers,collected by the ladies, and the locnl daily papers, kindly donated by. the proprietors. In this department provision was also made for cards, draughts, x and other popular games, and an adequate supply of writing materials provided. This proved a most, popular-sec- ■ tiou of tho regimental institute >committee's work, and at the time tho writer ■ visited tho camp, about 7 p.m., it was ■ literally packed with tro.ins, soino • roadiiiß, some writing, and all comfortable.' and happy. All with whom he came in. contact spoko in tho highest terms of the excellent provision made for their comfort bv the ladies. In tho canteen fish suppers were also provided at a moderate cost, aud these were in great demand. On tho Sunday afternoon tho whole or tho committee wcro in attendance at tho camp, and after tho church parade dispensed afternoon tea, to the visitors on Behalf of tho regiment. They again visit- , ed tho camp in force on the Monday fol- ' lowing, and received General and Mrs. Godlev, and afterwards entertained all tho v'i-iitois at tho General's inspection parade to'afternoon tea. In the evening ■ the committee were tho guests of tho ofrfters at dinner in tho oflicers mess room, and afterwards remained to tne cam]) fire concert which had been organ-. ised bv the entertainment section of the citizens' committee. This committee hud at their disposal the Hamilton Municipal Brass Band, Drum-Major Clothier's Kil- ■ ties' Band, and many local artists of re-' pule, who look a keen interest in th« making of our new citi7en army, l'or-thn , concert a camp firo was built, in a clump of trees adjacent to the camp, and a wagon provided as a stage for (ho performers and piano. Gathered re unit wers over -100 troops and many visitors, and altogether the. scene was a weird and picturesquo one. , ',„,,' At the conclusion of tho concert Colonel Bell, on lohnlf of tho officers, K.C.O.'s. and men of his regiment, expressed their very deep sense of gratitude to tho citizens' committee, fov tho fplcwlirt servkcß which they were rcmlerhyr t;> UlO cause of defe-ice. The great movement to form citizens' committees that had been in.iuRui'ated for (he purpeso of raising the status of tho citizen army wns one (hat,, like tho universal training scheme,started iu AVaikato, would soon oxtend to ■ all parts of the Dominion, >\lul eventually to all'parts of the Empire. He could not adequately express his feelings of gratitude for tho generous assistance given him by the citizens' committee, (he Hamilton Band, iiiitl the other performers, and he trusted that tho new movement, of which ■ they had 'given a successful practical demonstration, would be looked back upon 'with pleasure by (hose who had associ.it-' ed themselves with it at its inception. 'Koueinff'choe-rs wore given by the troops f for tli* ladies of tho uliy.ens committee and Iho performers.