"FATHER" AND CAMP LIFE.

Evening Star, Issue 15481, 1 May 1914, Page 10

"FATHER" AND CAMP LIFE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The letter of "Father" in last night's issue is hardly worth powder and shot. His argument amounts to this : that because the soldier once on a time was cribbed,' cabined, and confinedafraid to draw the attention of the general public to the omissions of many of his superiors—the system should continue. I am quite prepared to withstand an onslaught from the officers and men whom I charged with a want of initiative. What is more, I now say that the previously conceived and well-rehearsed field day witnessed by General Sir lan Hamilton is . not the method to develop initiative in our Territorials. But. as,a theatrical display of playing the wax game it quite eclipsed anything of the land seen in Otago. The Inspector General was not sent out here to- criticise anything in connection with our compulsory military system. His special business is to encourage us to extend it, so that the whole Empire may soon follow the example set by Australasia.—l am, etc., EX-VOLUNTEEE. May 1. [Correspondence closed.—Ed. E.S.]