LORD KITCHENER'S TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14300, 21 February 1910, Page 6

LORD KITCHENER'S TOUR.

L ■•.■; ■■ . i . .-:■ : - •i i ' INSPECTING THE TROOPS. FIELD DAY AT DUNEDIX. THE ALL-DISCERNING EYE. MOUNTED RIFLES CONSPICUOUS. [bt teuegbju?h.—jbjess ASSOCIATION* J Dorsnix, Sunday. Coxtrxbt to expectations a force of some 2000 men encamped at Ahbotsford were not called out unexpectedly and paraded for in- j spection, according to orders previously \ issued at eight a.m. yesterday. Lord Kitchener, accompanied by the Prime Minister I and members of the Defence Council, arrived by motor car from Dunedin shortly I after eight o'clock. He and his patty were ] provided with horses and immediately pro- j ceeded to inspect the assembled troops. The ■ mounted rifles made a very fine display and j there is reason to believe that they were J very favourably viewed by the Field-Mar- I shal. Having seen the mounted men march j out of camp. Lord Kitchener inspected the ; infantry, "B** Battery Engineers. Ambulance Corps, etc.. and then stationed himself with the Prime Minister and watched the four battalions follow the cavalry in the direction of Ahbotsford. The orders given by Lord Kitchener to Lieutenant-Colonel . Smyth?, who was in charge of the force, were to defend Dunedin from a supposed' enemy reported to be landing at Taieri Between the camp and Taieri Mouth are three hills, Jef- j feres" Hill, Scrogga Hill, and Table Hill, with a chain of hills leading from Table Hill i towards Dunedin, affording a line of retreat: Lieutenant-Colonel Smythe made arrangements promptly and thoroughly. The country in the vicinity of Du&edin has been his special study since his appointment here, and Saddle Hill and the vicinity has necessitated his particular attention. He ordered "B" Brigade to take a defensive position at Jefferys" Hill, occupying Scrogga Hill as a false position. Two regiments of mounted troops and one section of cyclists, were told j off as a protective force, and were to occupy j Scrogga Hill, reconnoitring towards Taieri Mouth. An advance guard of two com- j panies of infantry and one squadron of j mounted troops was detailed and. a rear- j guard of one company, leaving two bat- j talions as the main body stationed on the- j north side of Saddle Hill. Engineers on the right flank threw up an entrenchment, and j the left flank was similarly strengthened, j A field telephone was laid down, nag signal- j lets appeared on all hill tops, a field ambulance was got into position from headquar- | ters. "B" Battery, at headquarters, was | held in readinessi. to proceed to the front, and all dispositions were completed soon j after midday, which, considering that it was 1 after nine o'clock when the force left, camp, j was remarkably quick work. „• By i thus placing his ' force Lieutenant- j Colonel Smythe was able to command two { main roads leading from Taieri Mouth, and Jwhile occupying a particularly strong posi- j tion had available a satisfactory line of re- j treat along the chain <of hills," which also \ offered excellent opportunities "to the defending force ■ -. ."> j ."iijitvlilß'lift arrangements were being made j Lord Kitchener, accompanied by his. staff, ) was appearing . unexpectedly in different j part* of the country over which the opera-1 tions were taking place. Persons interested remarked upon the consuming energy of the Field-Marshal and the rapidity with ; which he travelled. At! one moment he was on a distant hillside a I short distance in advance his hotly-pur- i sating staff. Ten minutes later the* little I party was descried at an entirely different! point of =the compass. * '■:". >■■ f : Lord: Kitchener, visited every unit of the j defending force, and while staying only a \ moment seemed to see everything. He sel- j dom ; spoke and make no comments . upon 1 Lieutenant-Colonel Smythe's disposition. At \ about one p.m. be ordered tie ft»rce to be ] held in reserve at headquarters to reinforce ]'. the fortified position and two battalions of J mounted rifles and "B " Battery moved j rapidly out to the front. ,' Lord Kitchener watched these movements j ■ closely, took one more look at the engineers* j fortification, and with scarcely a word an- 3 Eoanced that he had sees sufficient and rode 1 to; the foot of the hill, Boarded a waiting j motor car, aod returned to Dunedin. ':'.' *,At two p.m. the march back to the camp { was commenced.; and the troops returned to j their homes to-day. Lord Kitchener left Dunedin with hisi sister in a motor car this morning, and was: ! expected to spend the afternoon and evening ] with'that lady ;(Mrs. Parker) at her home | at Kotow. I The Field-Marshal will leave Oamaru for ; I the North.'; by the second express, to-morrow , and go on to Christdiurclu '■-■■''■:■."■■ '■'*■ '■ ' . 1 - CHRISTCHURCH PREPARING. ; CADETS AND SCOUTS AECITING. [BT raEGBJJH. —PBESS ASSOOATIOS".] , CHKisxcarncH, Sunday. I, Preparations j for Lord Kitchener's visit have -. been practically completed. . A camp order issued yesterday anticipates that volunteers will be ; ' giTea'^an^oprjortiixhity. to :■ show'; their endurance and soldierly qualities on Wednesday,' as provision" is ; made for an alarm by night or day. Public notice is being '- given of the fact that from Tuesday morning till Wednesday morning Lytteiton Harbour trill be under war conditions and thai an examination. *errice may be in force all the time. "Notice of such service being in force will be given at Adderley Head by a- signal consisting by day of three red balls or shapes resembling balls, arranged vertically at the - signal station, and Irs? night by three red lights, similarly disposed, during the time examination service is in force. AH vessels entering the harbour may be required ■ to stop for examination' by the de- i fence authorities upon pain of instant annihilation. A South Canterbury battalion of school cadets '-.and'' a ; detachment of boy, scouts arrived in'^CSirisfchurch by the first express yesterday afternoon. > There were about ■ 350 ail told,: and they immediately marched to Hagley Park; where they .will encamp till after Lord Kitchener reviews them on Tuesday. A church parade was I held ,this morning* The major portion of the, cadets will join camp to-morrow. ".■/"':■'• ;"'■* v ~ -- v.•.■■;.• " " .-, ,-'-\ ■ AUCKLAND PROGRAMME. In connection with the military arrangements, already made public, in anticipation of Lord Kitchener's visit to Auckland, it is intended that the cadets from country ' schools should entrain at their home stations 'M on Saturday morning, and all should 5 be -, i ready to v> go into • camp on the Domain at ; 5,30 in the afternoou. AH the school companies are coming from Thames, Waihi, Te Arr.ha. WaihOui'fMomnFviflej; Rotoraa, • Cambridge. Hamilton, Huntly.and Helensville. In , all there will bs ; r about 800 country cadet* in camp, and in . addition there are 160 senior cadet* and 50 boy scouts to go with j them. / The city \i and, suburban cadets will not go v in& i camp, i bi)i r villi.assemble at two •p.m. on Monday, February 28. for re-, liearsal for the bag parade, which will pro bably take place on Tuesday afternoon. All arrangements'have been satisfactorily j concluded for provisioning the boys in I camp. ; Surgeon-Ma jor.Gillon will act as! senior medical . officer : to the Hdets* ■■; camp 1 (of .upwards of 1200 cadets*, from Saturday j next '; till Tuesday, when '; ac' camp will be • j broken up ; Sur^son-Captain Makgill will j act ns sanitary medical officer the Do-1 main camp. ■' 7^}^TC^:'-':-y^-r r "-^