WORKED VERY WELL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 112, 13 May 1914, Page 3

WORKED VERY WELL

DEFENCE SCHEME REVIEWED STATEMENT' BY THE MINISTER. THE RECENT CAMPS. ■tor niiOßAPM— st>tcikL to in« ro»t.> AUCKLAND, This Day. Some remarks as4o the working of the Defence system were made by the Minister W Defence (Hon. .J. Allen) to a Herald, representative yesterday evening. "The scheme," he said, "is working very satisfactorily,' all things considered. Of' course, here and there are a few grumblers and individual cases of hardship -*-' sometimes imagined hardship. Taking it altogether, the scheme has 'worked very well." In regard to the- recent camps, N the Minister said that, considering how young the whole system was, and how little experience the officers had had of these camps, it was remarkable that they had passed off as well as they had "The attendance has been very good at each camp," Mr. Allen continued, " and, with the exception of. a little row at Takapan, which has been very much exaggerated, the camps have, been very orderly, notwithstanding the inconveniences inseparable from bad weather and other circumstances." Mr. Allen,' in reply to a question regarding tho complaints from certain territorials of not being permitted to substitute mufti for their wet uniforms whilst in camp at Takapau, said that there was certainly no order from head* quarters or from any senior officer to the effect that mufti should not be taken into camp. Individual commanders may have taken it upon themselves to give such an instruction, but if such were the case it was entirely without authority. The matter of a change of clothing for the men was already under consideration, but it was all a matter of, expense. The Minister was also questioned in regard to the department's intention in respect to future camps,' but he said that this, was a matter for consideration and it was impossible at present to say what would be done. The matter, of course, largely depended upon the recommendations of the Commandant. The big camps had all t been held about the same time this year on account of the visit of General Hamilton, but those who were unable to attend these camps were attending the casual camps which were now being held in each district. As to whether the camps would be held at different periods in the future he was quite unable to say.