EASTER ENCAMPMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11347, 16 April 1900, Page 6

EASTER ENCAMPMENTS.

AT POTTER'S PADDOCK AND ONETREE HILL.

Favoured with fine weather on Saturday, our citizen soldiers under canvas at Potter's Paddock, Epsom, and One-tree. Hill, were kept busily engaged during the forenoon with company and battalion movements, conducted by the officers commanding companies, but unfortunately numbers of the men were unable to participate in this useful course of instruction, owing to their having to leave early for town to -* complete their week's labours. After the midday meal, however, the majority of the volunteers ,wero again in camp, and outpost work , was proceeded with, and the men, settling down to their duties in all seriousness, the afternoon proved a most profitable one, there being an entire absence of foolery or larrikinism, that spoke well for the discipline that prevails, and the personal interest of the volunteers in the movements in which they engaged. ; Lieu-tenant-Colonel Banks acted as / umpire-in-chief, and a mimic attack on Auckland was carried out by the One-tree* Hill force, under the direction of Major Porritt, the Potter's Paddock force acting las the defenders, Major White directing. Promptly at the hour fixed, two p.m., a half-company of mounted infantry left the defending camp and galloped at top speed as far up the Onetree Hill as was possible, rushed the hill, and finding no enemy, took possession. Simultaneously with the monnteds three infantry companies and the Auckland Engineers left camp, and making the bijst time possible, quickly.reached the hill, where they relieved their comrades of the mounteds, whilo another half-company of mounted infantry galloped out of camp and took up their position on the extreme left cif the line, in closo proximity to the Harp of Erin Hotel, to prevent the enemy approaching by that road. The Auckland Mounter 1 / Rifles, undei Captain Holgate, meanwlr'ile proceeded to the extreme right of the/line," on the Mount Eden-Three Kings Road, whilo the College Rifles and No. . 1 Natives, under Captain Wither, made their way along the main road in the direction of On.ehunga. At the corner, close to the gasometeir, the mounteds noticed a squad of the enemy's mounted men coming j along the road, and taking cover until the unsuspecting troopers drew alongside, fired two volleys into them at short range.. Thei enemy retired, and while doing so Captain O'Brion, of the "A" Battery, brought up his three guns, and opened fire down the main road on the retreating men with cannister with one of this pieces. Another company of the enemy being discovered on the western slope of , One-tree ' Hill, Captain O'Brien brought a second gun into action, on this force. A company of rifles being left to support the guns, the College Rifles wore ordered round to the left rear of the enemy s camp, with a : view to taking the camp, a movement in which they succeeded, finding only the guard on duty. On thfi extreme right Captain Holgate sighted a covered furniture van proceeding in the direction of Auckland, and it was ultimately discovered that some 20 members Cif tho Onehunga Rifles, under Captain Mcintosh, were in the vehicle, which proceeded to the magazine at Mount Eden, declared it blown up, and then returning, attacked the 'defenders' camp in the rear, shooting tho guard and sentries, and taking possession of two of tho First Battalion's Maxims. While in the act of hauling down the flag, tho quartermaster-sergeant, Dines, senior officer in tho camp, hurriedly got the men on duty in the lines together, served oat ammunition, and opened fire on the invaders, whom they overpowered, and made prisoners of those not shot. Colonel Banks, umpire-in-chief, having reached the main road meanwhile), decided the position belonged to the " A" Battery and Rifles, and that tho enemy must retire. The battalion companies thus relieved returned to the Potters Paddock camp, and found the Onehijnga Rifles prisoners, the colonel agreeing liliat the attempt made by that company was an impossible task, and one from which- they would not have been able to extricate/ themselves. This concluded the mimio battle, after which Major "ito.called for threo cheers for the Onehunga Rifles, which Were heartily returned. -

THE SUNDAY/SERVICE. At half-past nine on Sunday morning the Second Battalion marched to Potter's Paddock, and the oombinod forces paraded for divine service' at the grandstand, the Rev. Percy Smallfield officiating. •- The text chosen was, " If yo then bo risen with Christ, seek those things which are above (Col. in. 1), and the preacher, after reminding those present that Easter J Day was % day set apart to remind them of the great historical fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and impressing oil them that it was a day of joy, because tho resurrection assured them that there was a life beyond the grave, said: I suppose there is no one on ; parade to-day who would say "I am not a Christian. But there is still tho same necessity as of old that Christians should show to the world, in a practical way, their belief, that Christ died and rose again for all men and so the Bible says to all ot us assembled at . this church parade, "Show in your life your belief that Christ rose from the dead, show it by seeking thoso things which are above; that is, live a good life, fight against temptation, forgive your euomies, learn moro about God, prepare for tho life, after death. In other words, don't sink lower by selfishness, by impurity, by dishonesty, but keep oil climbing up over higher and higher. Lot there be in your life moro of heaven and less of earth. lam speaking to the Auckland volunteers, and 1 don t think I could find anywhere a congregation better ablo than you aro to understand these words of St. Paul, for the very fact that you aro members of a volunteer corps shows that you have already grasped something of the great Christian idea of self-denial.' You feel that a man must bo preparod to give his life for his country, that the strong must dofend the weak, that women and children must be protected from insult; and harm. When a man is ready to lay down his life for others lie has risen a long way above that_ selfishness which says, " Every man for himself.' The unselfishness of a. soldier's vocation night to help hi in to learn moro of thoso things which are above, ought in fact; to help him to become ft soldier of Christ, as well as a soldier of tho Queen. That volunteering in New Zealand does ' mean more than a mere love for uniform and firing and camp life, we have had ample proot lately. We have seen men volunteer in numbers for servico in South Africa, and do this' with the full knowledge that service thore means a hard life, and involves the risk of death or injury in battle. And the history of the past few months assures us that if the need arises we shall havo more volunteers for foreign service, and that you men, I if you aro called upon to defend New Zealand, will serve with the same bravery and unflinching devotion to duty as our men in South Africa have sho\l'n. Learn then the lesson of Easter. Carry this military devotion to duty into your ordinary everyday life. ■ Be brave enough to do the right; and nay the right. During the afternoon large numbers of visitors from Auckland visited and inspected the cismps, and in the majority ctf cases the companies entertained their lady friends to afternoon tea. Tho First Battalion drum and fife band played a number of pieces in good style.

TO-DAY'S SHAM-FIGHT. This morning tho annual sham-fight will take place, commencing at ten a.m., , and concluding at twelve o'olock, and a review will be hold in the afternoon, after which camp will bo struck. The area over which the fighting will extend will be between the main Onehunmi road on the one side, and the Mount E(len-Threo Kings road 011 tho other, whilo tho centre of operations will bo in close- proximitv to the Northern Gun Club's grounds at Epsom.

THE TAICAPUNA CAMP. t The Naval Brigade under canvas at Takapuna racecourse, composed of the Auckland Navals, Ponsonby Navals, .torpedo Corps, and Devonport Coastguards, are making tho best of their time, and on Saturday morning were given instruction in infantry battalion drill by Lieutenant-Commander Little, when they displayed much ability, and also proved themselves efficient in big gun drill at Fort Cautley on Friday last. / Yesterday forenoon a church parade was held at the church of the Holy Trinity, when; the Rev. Sidney Hawthorne delivered an earnest address, to the men. After a tent inspection at two o'clock general leave was given till eight p.m., and the camp was visited by a largo concourse of visitors, 'when the Garrison Band rendered some sacred music at intervals, which was thoroughly appreciated. From nine o'clock last evening a " state of war" was declared, and will exist till 'noon to-day, and the men hold themselves in readiness for a night attack, a bright lookout being kept so that the forts might be mannod at a moment's notice. Altogether there are 306 voluntoors encampcd at Takapuna,' and the following are some details as to how this number is made up:—Staff and non-com-missioned, officers,? 3; Auckland Navals, under Lioutonant-Commaudor Clomons and Lieutenants Salinpn and Endean, 69; Ponsonby Navals, under; Lieutenant-Commander Patterson and, Lieutenants McKay and Spinley, • 98; Dovorport ; Torpedo Corps, Lieu-tenant-Commander Parker' and Lieutenants Robinson and / Iteid, 40; Devopport Coastguard Artillery, under Captain Napier and Lieutonants Gardner and Tarrant, 68; Rearer Corps, 2; awl the '.Garrison Band, 26; Drs. ; Naylor and 'Walker hairing control of the

ambulance work. It is expected that camp • will be struck to-day. , ; V 3 - ; With reference to the complaints with reigird to the bell tents erected for the use of the men, on inspection it is found that the majority of them are precisely in the same condition as those used at the Epsom camps, and with the exception of about a dozen, which it is stated were received into the camp from the defence stores by the quartermaster labelled -"for repairs," the men have no more grounds for complaint than their comrades at Epsom. The impression gained on looking down the lines is that tho saturation of the straw bedding caused by Thursday's rain is due solely to the fact of the camp : being pitched on a slope, and the surface water naturally flows down the hillside, thus wetting the straw bedding on the floors of the tents. The matter has no doubt been somewhat exaggerated. One of the staff has carried it to an absurdity, and has imported to the camp a small wooden house painted red, and prefers to sleep in' this rather than brave the dangers of a heavy dew in a tent. It may be said .that if more attention was paid to the cleaning up of the lines and keeping the camp free of loiterers, the time of the malcontents would bo better employed. ___________