YALDHURST CAMP.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16193, 20 March 1913, Page 5

YALDHURST CAMP.

1500 MEN NOW UNDER CANVAS

SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENT OF

WEST COASTERS

The Yaldhurst plain is being transformed into a populous little town with a speed that would excite the envy of a town-booming society. Every day sees fresh contingents of young manhood arriving at the camp. Already it has assumed an appearance of busi-ness-like activity, though hardly half of tho full number of men have arrived. On Tuesday night the Nelson and West Coast troops came in, and by 1 o’clock yesterday morning all were settled down. The South Canterbury men and the Ist (Canterbury) Regiment will arrive to-day. On March 21 a further batch of Nelson troops will arrive.

Speaking to a reporter, Captain Crichtley-Salmonson, who was in charge yesterday in the absence of Lieutenant-Colonel Day, gavo a very favourable report of the conduct of the men and tho v.ork of tho camp so far. Tho food arrangements, ho said, were adequate, and Tie had not received any complaints of the quality of the fare Supplied. The water was very limited, though the men had not felt any scarcity, but arrangements were being made for more tanks to be procured for storing purposes. Tho men in camp were throwing themselves into their work with energy and enthusiasm.

An inspection of the cooking arrangements disclosed an admirable state of affairs. This year the food supply is in the hands of the Government, and each unit has its own appliances, together with a staff of cooks. Tho most up-to-date ranges, with ovens and steamers, are on the ground, and the food turned out is well-cooked and wholesome. The system which used to obtain by which a regiment used the Union Jack as its ensign is being discontinued and. the different units are to have distinctive flags. Tho only regimental flag yet to be seen on the ground, however, is that of the 13th (North Canterbury and West Coast) Regiment, which has a striking design, in colours which give it a resemblance to a plaid. Tho design is composed of three liuin feathers, encircled by a fern leaf, with the words “ Kia pono tonu,” which may be translated as "Ever faithful, ever true.” MARCHING FROM WESTLAND.

The talk of tho camp yesterday was the excellent achievement of the men of tho West Coast contingent, who arrived in camp on Tuesday night at 10 o’clock. Under the worst possible conditions a batch of untrained men performed a forced march that men in the pink of training would have considered a matter to boast over, and performed it, moreover, on one of the worst roads in New Zealand.

The West Coasters arrived in Greymouth on Monday night, having collected from all parts of the country, and having been on the road since 4 o’clock on Monday morning. On Tuesday morning they paraded at five o’clock at Greymouth, and after breakfast, entrained for Otira. Hero the "Wet ' Coast began to justify its reputation, and pouring rain sot in. Anyone who has been on the West Coast knows what " bad weather” means there, and this weather was something superlative. It poured, and tho wind had the force of a hurricane. The men disentrained at Otira at 9 a.m., and started, without food, on their long march to Boaley. Up tho mountains and over Arthur’s Pass they toiled, and the rain fell all tho time. Greatcoats were soaked before a mile had been gone, and hung like lead on the shoulders of their wearers. The rain percolated through all clothing, and the men wero soaked. Streams were met with, and the men waded through them, sometimes up to the hips. But there wore no complaints, although the weight of heavy knapsacks, rifles and other gear might have excused grumbling. Not only that, they were cheerful. They sang and made light of their misfortunes. Tho nearest approach to grumbling was tho cheerful badinage to the officers concerning the tardiness of the paco, which was kept slow out of consideration to the weaker members of the company. The halts wero greeted by stentorian choruses of, "We want .to go on.” They wero anxious to push ahead. The fifteen-mile tramp to Bealey was completed at 1 p.m., a hot meal having been eaten on the way at midday in the pouring rain. The men were each given a cake of chocolate and a quarter of a pound of seeded raisins. At two o’clock they marched to the railway terminus, a distance of five miles and a half, still cheerful, and still enjoying their arduous task. They marched in companies, and, the strict deportment of the parade ground being relaxed, they carried their gear in a goeasy fashion. At 3.1.5 p.m. they arrived .at the rail-head on the Christchurch side of .the Bealey River, and found that the footbridge which had been put over the Bealey to enable them. to pass had been washed away. Mr Gavan, the engineer of the Public Works Department, who was in attendance there with a body of men, soon rigged up another bridge. Trains were run from Cass, the Railway Department supplying carriages instead of the old trucks. By this time everyone was wringing wet. Tho men had a substantial meal at Springfield, and occupied the time in the train by taking off their puttees and wringing them out, and making themselves as comfortable as possible. The train took them to Hornby, and they cheerfully embayked on their final five-mile march to the camp, arriving at 10 p.m. Their tents were ready for them, and after a hearty meal they settled down for the night. They were let off parados yesterday morning to enable them to have a rest, but in tho afternoon they settled down to work. Not a man broke down during the journey, in spite of its arduousness, and the waggons which were provided for. such a contingency were not needed.

On arriving in camp the men were fill thoroughly fit ; though naturally tired. Even at this stage their spirits were not abated. Indeed, they seemed to be looking forward to the work o-f the morrow, and one man remarked, “I suppose I had better turn in.and get a couple of hours’ sleep' before I start work again. - ’ The officers in charge of the men on their march were Major A. E. Loach fin charge) and Captain Turnbull (adjutant). The former was loud in his praise of the men. ‘“ They marched splendidly,” he said, “although they had had very little training, and were consequently unused to discipline. They kept well together and would persist in -keeping step, although this was not required. The only tiling to which they objected was that I did not make the pace quick enough. The rivers were a great trouble. Three fairly largo rivers, three not quite so large and innumerable streams had to be forded. Certainly the wetting thus obtained did not make much difference, since the men were all wet through already, and the water made their clothing very heavy. My greatcoat scaled 14Jib when I weighed it en route, and as the men all had their coats on they were all m the 6amo box. A feature of the tramp was the cheerful good humour of the men, who refused to get down-hearted in spite of the wind and tho rain, and kept on singing and joking all tile way.” Tho officers refused an offor of horses and insisted on walking with the men and sharing their hardships. Mon who had mado tho tramp,

speaking to a reporter, insisted that, in spite of the discomfort, they had enjoyed tho experience and felt no illeffccts of the wetting and exposure. A few wero slightly sore in the feet, but one smart youth explained his immunity from this ailment by the curt statement, "I tallowed my socks.” Tho Nelson men were unfortunate in having their energies confined in tho narrow space of the ship’s deck on the journoy to Christchurch. Tho trip was rather a rough one, and consequently they did not enjoy it. “Wo wouldn’t have minded a march, however hard and rough,” said one, "but it was deadly sitting in the old tub doing nothing but being sick.” However, they have all now settled down into camp routine and are pleased with their quarters and their work. No risks are being taken of liquor being brought into camp, or of the men getting under its. influence. The Yaldhurst Hotel, about two miles distant, is effectively rendered out of bounds by a guard which is on duty to prevent the thirsty men of the camp from yielding to temptation.