VOLUNTEERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13845, 7 March 1907, Page 10

VOLUNTEERS.

FIELD HOSPITAL AND BEARER CORPS. JTo. 2 Company' 5.'. Z. Field Hospital anil Bearer Corps paraded in full dress on Tuesday evening for inspection by the chief of (ho New Zealand Medical Service—Surgeongeneral Skerman. The parade slato was as follows:—], surgeon-major, 1 quarlerniasterEorgcant, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals, 1 bugler, and 31 rank and file;—total, 43. The inspecting officer was accompanied by the officer commanding the district (Lieutenant-colonel Smyth), Captain and Adjutant Track, Brigadesurgeon Liieutenant-colonel dc Lautour, P.M.0.; and Surgeon Lieutcnant-colond 'Will, Y.D. After the formal inspection, tho company was exercised by the senior non-coiu-missioned officers in company, stretcher, and waggon drill. A number of "casualties" wcro disposed at the rear of the Garrison Hall and stretcher squads were detailed to render first aid and remove the wounded, (lie stage for the nonce being converted into a line of ambulance waggons. Tho exercises of the loading and unloading ot wounded were gone through, and iho Surgeon-genbral subsequently inspected tho ambulsnco work, and orally examined the individual squads. Addressing the corps at the conclusion ol the inspection Surgeon-general Skermnn compigmented tho company on its excellent muster which, lie said, ho regarded as a personal compliment on this his first visit. Tho work doiio satisfied him that the corps was under an obligation to the responsible officers and lion-commissioned officers for the instruction imparled. He counselled the men to pay particular attention to the scientific part of their training, in order that, should they bo called upon to fako Hie field, they might tr.ko with them special knowledge that would prove simply invaluable. In bringing io bear a knowledge of sanitation— thus minimising tho risk of an outbreak of sickness—and in caring for the wounded in tho field and in the hospitals, tho work that devolved on a field hospital corps was a work of tho utmost importance. He intimated that the Government has practically undertaken to grant a competitive shield to tho field hospital corps of the colony, the winners in a set examination to havo their names engraved thereon. Tho Dunedin corps' could, nnd ho hoped would, bo the first to furnish the winners. Tho Surgcon-goneral concluded an encouraging address with the intimation that further field equipment would shortly bo acquired for the medical corps ot tho colony. Lieiilcnnnt-colonel Smyth congratidated Surgeon-major Evans on the neat apnearauca of his men, and said ho would like to see as good an attendance of tho company at the forthcoming Eastct camps.