AUCKLAND TERRITORIALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14508, 24 October 1910, Page 9

AUCKLAND TERRITORIALS.

CAMP AT PAPATOETOE.

NEW TRAINING SCHEME.

A HARD WEEK'S WORK.

The First Battalion of (lie Auckland territorial infantry wont under canvas fit I'apatoetoo on Saturday for a week's solid work. Tlio new scheme for tho training of the New Zealand territorials is not yet. in force, and the defence forces are in a kind of noman's land in the matter of camps. For this reason the decision of the First Battalion to anticipate iho publication of the orders has aroused a great, deal of interest. Apparently no other section of the' forces has taken any stons towards holding a camp of the kind, and the battalion has, in a sense, established a test case, and it is the first section of'the New Zealand forces to undertake training under the conditions of (lie new system, and its venture bids fair to show full justification for the enterprise.

In the first place, the attitude of the emplovers of tho moil desiring to go into camp was by many people expected to lx> a cause of much iroubic, but the fear was found to lie largely without foundation. As a preliminary step, the business people of Auckland who were likely to he affected were consulted by letter as to the feasibility of releasing their employees for a week, and on the v hole t-hoy responded most liberally. Many firms replied that to go without, the services of useful employees for so long would lie a serious handicap, but that, they would nevertheless get on as best, they could, and in one instance, where the leave for six men was asked for, a compromise was Fee ted, letting five of the men go. The sixth was kept, at work, simply because lie was the sole employee in one department of the firm's work, and been use his absence for a week would entail oar tail paralysis of the business. Out of a full strength of about 450, no less than 356 men were under canvas on Saturday night. So largo a muster is quite unusual, and exceeded the hopes of the officers by a good margin.

The battalion chose the present form of continuous camp, instead of the older style, in which the men, whilei pursuing their ordinary daily duties, slept under canvas, and carried out drill in the mornings and evenings. The old camps resulted in terribly overworked men, with a doubtful return in increased military efficiency; the present, one, it is believed, will turn out a body of men physically refreshed, mentally rejuvenated, and a great deal more efficient as volunteers.

Tho men are receiving payment at the rate of 4s per day for privates, and larger amounts for those of higher ranks. A groat, deal of the disappointment experienced in past years at the comparatively poor success of the Easter camps was due to the nonpayment of the -men. The principle was recognised some two years ago, when payment for attendance at those camps was introduced, and there was an immediate improvement, in the attendances, especially at tho first paid camp. The unusually big attendance at the Papatoetoo camp, no doubt, owes something to the payment of tho men, but thero have been other active causes. Tho officers have been assiduous in their inducements to the men to take part, and they also obtained tho sympathy of a large number of employers. To the consideration of the business men of Auckland, indeed, tho commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel .T. R. Reed, ascribes a great deal of the camp's success; and. while the camp is always open to visitors, lie expressed the hope that all the employers whose men were there would accept a special invitation to run out to Panatoetoe and see the territorials at work.

The parade state of the battalion is £.9 follows—Staff-Lieutenant-Colonel .1. R. Reed, officer commanding; Majors A. Bartlett and A. Phigge, Captain and Adjutant. Oumming-, Surgeon-Captain Aubin. "A" Compmy, Captain Cox, Lieutenants Dorrom, and Cooper, 2S: "B" Company, Captain Atkinson, Lieutenants Mcintosh, and Dunne, 57 : "C " Company, Captain Riohardson, Lieutenants Gibb and Hamlin, (A; "D" Company, Captain Stevenson; Lieu.; tenant S. Atkinson, 39; " E Company, Can tain Kay, Lieutenants Cairn and Seel, 50; "F" Company. Lieutenants Mowbray and Duthie, 3L; "H " Company, Captain Melville and Lieutenant Finlayson,. 61; band, 13. A scheme of work for the week lias been drafted, but may Ik* altered. It provides for a fairly solid drilling for the first, three days of this week. From 6.30 to 7.30 a.m. the sections will be left under the command of the non-commissioned officers. After breakfast the company and half-company commanders will put the men through company drill, and in t.he afternoons Colonel Reed, Majors Bartlett. and Plugge, and CapKin Kay, who is not yet commissioned as Major, will carry out battalion drill. Throughout the camp, discipline is being enforced rather more carefully than is usual, and groat attention is being paid to hygiene. On Thursday, according to the present arrangements, a full day will bo spent, away from camp. The troops aro to be marched to the Manuka.u, and will spend the whole available daylight in field firing, advancing upon an imaginary enemy, and firing, at distances which will have to bo estimated, at, targets scattered over tho countryside. Friday will be devoted to manoeuvring in the neighbourhood, and the day's work will probably take tho form of an advance upon Manurewa Hill, ail emineneo a few milos from the camp. Up till t.he present (lie amount of work done has been small. It, took tho whole of Saturday evening for the troops to settle down, and yesterday work was not taken very seriously. At nino a.m. the camp was inspected by Colonel Reed, and later on divine service was conducted by the Rev. I'. Cleary. In the afternoon the men devoted themselves to recreations organised into a programme of athletic sports-, and, as a large number of visitors from Auckland spent the greater part of tho day at, tho camp, the entertainment proved very successful. There was much speculation as to how the holding of sports would .be regarded from ofltside, but those responsible felt convinced that, the programme for tho day was fully justified. If it had not been for tho snorts, the men would either have had to bo drilled to keep them occupied, or would have been at a loss for pastime, and got into mischief, and it. was considered that the sports would have nothing but. a beneficial effect. During the progress of (ho camp, lectures on various subjects will bo given by the officers. The first one announced deals with camp sanitation, and will bo given by Sur-geon-Captaiii Murray. The camp lies at. Papatoetoo. in a field lent, by Mr. W. McLauehlin, about a mile and a-half from the railway station. The spot is picturesque, and almost ideal. Close behind the group of white tents rises a tall plantation of sombre, protecting pines. Before stretches a smooth area of grass, well adapted for both work and recreation, and the field is almost, encircled by a stream of good water. Tho stream was tested, and found to l>e quite good enough to provide a safe drinking] supply, and its value as a camp adjunct, is enhanced by its beauty, for it wanders through a maze of varied vegetation. and provides a number of placid stretches full of clear reflections. The only approaches to the camp aro over the stream, and the engineers of the battalion, before Hie main body arrived built an excellent bridge over it. using blue-gum timber cut on (ho locality for the framo, and fascines of manuka for the decking. The. camp cooks pursue their useful craft, at a number <•'' fire-filled trenches, and draw their supply : v*tor. from the stream, which successfully v;>o'« red >(••• character under a medical exam;: •• v..n Ft:: < secured in the natural raani..r h. , ct:<li«ig down of trees. The camp '■.■>•. <■< --mi, and tho absence of that, pop. '' ,>■ frequently abused institution lias the cflect of making tho camp one of the "uietest ever held within the knowledge of many of the "old hands." Tho first, night under canvas is usually an uproarious occasion, but. on Saturday half the men were asleep before 11 p.m., and when " lights out" sounded at. 11.30, scarcely a candle shone throughout tho camp.