LOCAL CAMPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 17038, 13 December 1915, Page 8

LOCAL CAMPS.

representations To ministers. deputation of members. CABINET CONSIDERATION PROMISED. Ten members of Parliament waited upon the Prime Minister (the Right Hon W. F. Massey) anti the Defence Minister (the Hon James Allen) at Wellington on Saturday, says the ••Post,” to urge that preparatory and receiving camps should bo established in vai'ious centres. The deputation was headed by Dr Thacker, and comprised Sir James Carroll (Gisborne). Messrs J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa), G. R. Svkcs (Mnsterton), G. Witty (Riccarton), C. H. Poole, J. Payne and J. S. Dickson (Auckland), Field (Nolson), and Pa rata (Wellington). General Robin and Colonel Gibbon were also present. ' . , Dr Thacker said he had organised the deputation. He had' communicated with every member of Parliament, aud had received the following replies:— From Ministers, non-conunittal answers (laughter); four adverse expressions of opinion; and the‘rest replies favourable to the desire of the deputation. These replies he would hand to the Premier. He called upon Mr Poole to express the Auckland feeling. INFLUENCE OF CAMPS. 1 Mr C. H. Poole said that his aud his colleagues' desire was to do the best they could for recruiting, and lie had found, during his recruiting work, that local interest, such as cauips, or the preseuce of khaki,'would create, was of great recruiting assistance. In the South Island, where there were no such camps, this idea was very prevalent. Camps were also wanted to which men could go as soon as they felt the call to enlist, so that they should not get “cold feet” and withdravy. The idea was not to interfere with headquarters arrangements; there were officers available to do the work. They did not want to have compulsion necessary, and this was their idea of helping to get recruits. Racing clubs aud agricultural societies would help by placing their grounds and buildings at the disposal of the authorities. He believed that the very fine response of "Wellington men was due to the presence of the camp here. In the south, where it was said the response was not so good, there were no camps. He emphasised that it was not in any way desired to improve the efficiency of the training or to interfere with the military organisation. But officers returning from the front with minor injuries could bo engaged at those camps, and prepare men for the central camp, where they would get their final training. Mr Poole also read a letter from Mr Gunson, Mayor of Auckland, saying that the Auckland feeling was unanimous in favour of local camps; suggesting two in the North Island and two in the South. The matter, said Mr Poole, was a national one, and their desire had nothing about it of petty local feeling. Dr Thacker said he had been at mass meetings in the South Island, aud the expressed feeling was in favour of the preparatory camps. It was only preparatory camps they required, aud not such large institutions as Trentham and Tauherenikau. Men with minor infirmities such as bad teeth,, varicose veins, and other such defects as could bo remedied could go there to be fitted for the central camp. He urged that the request of the deputation was a national one, and ouo_ worthy of full consideration by the National Government. Ho said that oven the one display the Christchurch citizens had seen of the fit troops had done good t<o recruiting there. To have the local camps in the South Island would also allow the men week-ends at home, and parents also would be kept in closer touch with them. The staffing could be done by officers returned from the front, or men they already had available in the south, aud he instanced the good work that had already been done b,v Colonel Chaffey and others in this direction. In conclusion, Dr Thacker said that if the deputation had been held, say, on Tuesday, they could have had fortymembers present. A GISBORNE OFFER.

Sir James Carroll, speaking from » Gisborne point of view, said that in their centre where men came in from the country to enlist the men while waiting drifted away; and their idea was to have a •‘holding” camp at which to have the men put through their preparatory stages. Gisborne .was doing this at its own cost.. (Hear, hear.) Mr G. Witty urged that if these camps were not conceded conscription would be necessary. Mr J. Payne also emphasised that the sole idea of the deputation was to obtain recruits. The Defence Minister: What about training themP Mr Payne: “ Before you can train them you must get them.” Mr Payne affirmed what other speakers had said as to local oamps helping recruiting. He did not agree there was any need for conscription when 109,000 men had signified their willingness to serve: local camps were not urged as an alternative, but merely to help to get the recruits into camp. Substantiating remarks were made by Mr T. A. Field, Nelson, who also suggested adapting a form of training ‘t|lie militia so many days a week, according to then- classes. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby emphasised' the desirability, especially in the country, of placing the men in camp immediate, ly they come in to enlist. He could give several instances of where men had taken contracts while they were waiting after enlisting. The Defence Minister: But we got them eventually. Mr Hornsby replied that there were a good many that the Defence Department had not got. Numbers of men had complained to him that they had been “ put on one side,” as they expressed it. They woufd not like work •which the Labour Department or Defence representatives offered to provide for them. '“You know the feeling in Auckland pretty well as I d'o,” was the remark of Mr J. S. Dickson, who also emphasised the main request of tho deputation. Mr G. R. Sykes gave supporting expressions of opinion, and instanced cases of the effeot of having soldiers mixing with the men they wanted to obtain. THE MILITARY VIEW-POINT. Colonel Gibbon (Chief of Staff) was asked bv the Prime Minister to state the military view of the matter. Colonel Gibbon said that local camps and I receiving camps wore two and entirely different matters. What was it that was desired? /Members: Receiving camps.

Colonel Gibbon (Chief of Staff) said that what the authorities desired was to have the men under their control from the start, because they obtained' better results in discipline. As to the desire to have more khaki in the other centres to stimulate recruiting, he said that under a new leave system, to come into operation the country every four weeks would be inundated with soldiers. He also showed that Taranaki and Hawke's Bay, which had no local camps, were among the best recruiting districts. If a man wanted to offer his services ho would do so,

whether there were local camps or not. Above all, discipline was important, and after being in local camps men would have to ke put through another lot of training again under another set of officers; and the system of drafts would all require alteration. Also, tho local camps could not be expected' to provide lor au emergency oall if it came such as they were, prepared for now. At present they had a big reserve to meet any sudden' demand, that might come. In Australia there had been direct enlistment, but without making comparisons he could only say they were behind u.s. We here had not had any difficulty whatever, 'and even now we had virtually enough men, and after Christmas he believed wo would have a surplus. In the reserve, he had made it known to the districts, he had places for any men who could come in right away—bo had vacancies for fifty men at present, but they received the inevitable reply that the men wanted time before entering camp. General Robin briefly said that no doubt- tho National Cabinet would obtain tho opinion of the military on this matter. Ho would say there was a great deal in the suggestion for receiving camns in cases such as mentioned by Sir James Carroll. But this would require to be remembered', that whatever was done in that respect must not shorten tho period of effective training in the central camp. Periods spent ill local camns would have to bo additional. If there was an interference with the effective training of the men through united requests such as this. the blood of tho men would be ""the heads of tboso responsible for it. They had received much praise at the front for the training of their men. Dr Thacker: You must give the men Some credit also. They have the brains. ... , General Robin: I am a soldier, and I have had exn?Hence among Australians and Canadians, and- I know thev have brains also.

CABINET WILL CONSIDER. The Prime Minister said he was glad of the discussion that had taken place. It would do a great deal of good. It enabled the leaders to know through tho representatives of the people what tho people thought on this matter. "It is a matter now for the whole Government to go into," he said, "and I shall be glad to convey your representations to a full Cabinet as soon as possible, aud the matter will be discussed thoroughly." (Hoar, hear.) But he wanted to remind them that though his own impression had been in favour of looal camps at first, after what had been said of our men at the. front and their training and capacity, and recently by General Godley, he could only say they must bo very careful not to interfere with a system that had clone so well. He noticed that the deputation was not now asking for local camps. (Hear,' hear.) There might be something in the receiving camps, and the Government would go into that mattor; but .there was to be no departing'from the system they had at present. He gave the deputation every credit for their sincerity and loyalty in trying to do their best for recruiting and to promote tho interests of the Empire. He desired to point out that though Wellington had done well in recruiting it was not entirely because of the presence of troops there. Other parts of the Dominion without the camps had done as well in proportion to population. The next lot of troopshins would leave "Wellington, but it was the intention after that to make other places ports of departure, and the February contingent would leave from Auckland if possible. He did not think men had been driven to Australia to enlist, and he spoke after having carefully watched the matter. As a matter of fact some few who had gone to get through the medical test, had returned. Incidentally, he said he was a stronger supporter of ,nation-il service now than he was before. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he promised that, if possible, Cabinet would go into this matter immediately.