THE TERRITORIALS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 229, 26 August 1940, Page 6

THE TERRITORIALS

SPECIAL TRAINING. THREE MONTHS' COURSE. At the end of this week the officers and non-commissioned officers attacJieu to a number of Territorial units throughout New Zealand will complete the two months’ special training in which they have been engaged, and next Monday they .will be joined by the other ranks to undertake a three months’ course. Among tiie thousands of .young .. men affected throughout the Dominion are tnose belonging to the F. Troop of the 4th Field Battery, located at Palmerston North. , , ... Indications point to the i°cal ,oop being trained in Palmerston North, loi the September. period, as ndyicc has been issued that trainees will be lequired to sleep at home. , Those who will be unable to return home for lunch arc to provide mugs and lunches. •At the last meeting of the Council permission was sought for the use of Milverton Park and, in addition to granting this, the council gave permission for the troop to use the Hokowhitu Domain, the view being expressed that this area might be found even more suitable. The troop now stands at full war establishment. Officers and non-commissioned officers of the 6th Manawatu Mounted Rifles are now encamped at Wanganui and after next week-end they will proceed to Wellington to undergo further training at the Wellington A\ inter Show Buildings. They will remain there for a further fortnight to complete their two months’ period. No announcement has been made vet as to when the other ranks will enter camp. „ WATOURU CAMP.

At Waiouru there is intense activity as a military camp for seven complete military battalions is in the making in this vast expanse of rolling tussock country 2600 ft above sea level. line, mild weather during the past month lias allowed the constructional work to proceed unhampered. There are high hopes that the camp will be ready for occupation by October 1. Surveyors began w r ork on June 19. A thousand men are engaged in this major work. Six hundred are employed by private contractors. To them falls the task of effecting all the painting, plumbing, electrical wiring and sewerage work. The carpenters on the job are' also contractors’ men. The remaining 400 are Public Works Department employees. When completed, the camp will accommodate a military population equal to the civil population of Rotorua.. Provision will be made for extensions if required. A power station, housing a 550 kilo vatt Diesel-driven generator unit, will provide electricity for the camp. There will be a hospital, with 100 beds. A dental hospital, and accommodation for medical, dental and nursing staffs will be other features. Battalion areas will contain 133 buildings. Headquarters area will have 14. In all there will be 161 separate buildings. Seven rectangular standard battalion areas will be provided. One complete battalion area will be hutted. The remainder will be tented areas. Wooden floors are being provided for all tents. Each of the standard areas is surrounded by sealed roads. A further road traverses each of the seven areas, from east to west.

Twenty-one sleeping huts, each 130 ft by 18fft will house 34 men. each. A battalion fuel store, battalion ration store, orderly room, headquarters company store, main battalion and four small company stores complete the area.