TERRITORIAL CAMPS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 340, 27 January 1917, Page 6

TERRITORIAL CAMPS.

SHOULD THEY BE SUSPENDED ? BUSINESS HARDSHIPS. At Thursday's meeting of the Na-, pier Chamber of Commerce a certain amount <>? interesting discussion arose as the result of an intimation by 7 one member that many people were protesting against the holding of Territorial camps. The terrible depletion of staffs in .-ill lines of business on account of the war made the position very acute when members of the different staffs were called upon to attend the camps. In fact it was considered a rather unfair thing that territorials should be obliged, to attend, and it was time something was done to relieve the pressure at present existing in staffs. One member said he had heard that the Defence Depart-' ment were thinking- of dispensing with the camps during the war particularly on account of the shortage of officers, necessary to control the camps. Onother member had been in conversation with military officials in the AVellingion dislricr. and they were of opinion that it would be. impossible to nioio t]i(> Depart ment in this direction, as territorial camps were necessary for the selection of officers and N.C.O.'s lor the ro’mforeemeuts-

All members agreed that: the territorial s; stem vas of great laluc. but at the same time the position is acute. 'Che lime fix°<l for the camp was at the end of March a. most critical time the end of the finan cial year. If the date of the camp was altered it may meet the purpose to a certain extent. On the. motion of Mr. A. (.'. Matheson it fras decided to forward the following motion to the Minister of Defence : “That this Chamber, whilst fully reeogn’sing the valu** of the Territorial system, requests the Government to dispense with the Territorial camps this vear on account of the shortage of labour, or failing to dispense with camps altogether, that no camp should be held between March 20th and April 20th.”