MILITARY TRAINING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19026, 28 May 1936, Page 4

MILITARY TRAINING

TERRITORIALS IN CAMP FINE GISBORNE SQUADRON COMMENTS FROM G.O.C. “I know that, the mounted men of tlie W.E.C.M.R. in this district have been disappointed concerning the arrangements for t heir annual camp; they had hoped to forgather with other squadrons of their regiment at Waipukurau this year, but the necessity for economies in Defence Department expenditure made that impossible. Despite their disappointment, however, the camp now in progress at the showgrounds in Gisborne presents a fine example of tlie keenness and enthusiasm of all ranks,” remarked Major-General Sir William Sinclair-Bur-gess, General Officer Commanding .the New Zealand Forces, in conversation with a pressman to-dav. All through the country, Sir William added, the continuance of interest and enthusiasm on the part of officers and other ranks had been most satisfactory, lie had found unfortunately that attendances at camps were below the average this autumn, but lack of interest was not the cause of this falling off. One of the principal reasons was that business firms 1 arid private individuals were so busy that it .Was .difficult; for them to spare their employees for the period of training in ramp; and in the country districts the demands of all extraordinary season had been such that some of the most enthusiastic of the officers and men, who had never missed camp before, had been forced to stay on their jobs or risk heavy losses. The prolific season in the producing industries of the Dominion this year had been more felt in regard to attendances- at training camps than had the bad seasons. of earlier years, Sir William SinclairBurgess stated.

GOOD HORSES AND MEN With regard to the Gisborne and East Coast mounted men’s camp, the G.O.C. remarked that he had been looking forward to visiting this district again, as on the last occasion when he had an opportunity of seeing the troops in camp he had been impressed with the personnel and the mounts. There could not be many districts, lie thought, where so high an average of men and horses could be found; and he understood that this had been as true in pre-war years as at present. Self-contained because of its. comparative isolation, the district unit had developed on excellent lines, and stood high among those of the Dominion. “I regret as much as do the men themselves that it was. impossible to concentrate them with the other units of the regiment at Waipukurau this year,” he added. ‘‘The annual camp sets the seal on a year’s training, and only when it is possible to get a concentration of units from different districts can you get the best results. However, economies were necessary in view of other commitments, and for that reason a local camp had to be established.”

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCES Sir Williams. Sinclair-Burgess was unable to discuss questions relating to future activities of the defence forces in New Zealand, but he emphasised the fact that the territorials comprise New Zealand’s only army. No one could escape the' significance of the activity shown in other parts of the Empire with regard to defence measures. His official position rendered it impossible for him to discuss either the internal or the external aspects of military training for New Zealanders, but lie understood that a statement of the Government’s policy would be made shortly, and that these questions would be covered then. It was (extremely gratifying to find how widespread the interest in training continued, despite the many handicaps imposed by a succession of economy years, and he felt sure that there would be no discouragement for members of the volunteer forces in the future.