TAIAROA0 HEADS ENCAMPMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 36

TAIAROAO HEADS ENCAMPMENT.

Only 20 Territorials put in an appearance at tlie special camp which commenced at Taiaroa Heads on the lith. The officers in charge are: —Camp commandant, Lieutenant Bel! of Southland; camp sergeantmajor, Staff Sergeant-major Whyte; musketry instructor. Staff Sergeant-major Porteous; quartermaster, (Sergeant Walker. The men j.re quartered in tents near the barracks, but owing to the boisterous weather which has prevailed the meals are served in the barrack rooms. Ha in fell almost incessantly for the first three days, an ! ail drill had to be carried on inside, but on Saturday the weather cleared, enabling outside work to be gone on with, and some field skirmishing and target practice were carried out.

Many have the idea that the present camp is a detention one, but the impression is entirely erroneous. The camp is held to suit the convenience of those who were unable to attend the previous camps and enable them to make up the deficiency in their training. Detention methods, however, would lie employed were it found necessary, but so far the men have entered into their work with a readiness that would render stringent methods superfluous. The conditions generally make more for comfort than is the case in the average camp. The company is fortunate in being catered for hv Mr Taylor a professional cook, who is something of an artist at his calling, and to date any complaints in this direction have been an unknown quantity; in fact, the menus served up would compare favourably with those found in a large number of refreshment houses. The officers express satisfaction with the

work done by the men, and everything generally is running smoothly. Two men have been rendered hors de combat, one by sickness and the other by reason of a sprained shoulder obtained while he was indulging in a fit of sportiveness. A man from Balclutha is being excused from active participation in the operations on account of varicose veins. A notable feature about the camp is that it consists mainly of checscmakers and farmere. These men, with few exceptions, are quite willing to put in the required drills or attend camps, but during the greater part of the year they find it impossible to leave their work. The camp will probably break up about the end of this week, and it is understood that all those who ignored a warning to attend will be proceeded against immediately.