VALEDICTORY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 42, 12 October 1912, Page 5

VALEDICTORY.

FAREWELL PRIVATE PRIESTLEY The men!of G Section, INo. 4 Ambulance, and the officers-and'non-commissioned officers of H Company. 11 th .Alegimte’ntji rvfcrei th'd ■ guesfe of Major filafberyjlast '(tvffiifrigf At l, a little function in'Mr. S. Pivac’s supper, rooms; the ocicakiqh . b'efngl g farewell to I Priestley', fwhoi leaves’ to*day for Gisborne. The evening passed quickly in pleasant fashion; speeches were brief but to the point, and stories were many, but equally happy. Dr. Carbefy proved ah excellent host, and his efforts were ably seconded by Captain Lampen, whose first-hand military anecdotes were worthy of the unstinted applause, they .received. In , wishing Private, Priest}py j /the best wishes bf C Section for future prosperity and happiness, Major Carbery, so far broke the regulations—and the occasion Was''shfely one for. laxity in this respect—as to praise the guest of the evening for, the excellent work he had put in as a private in the Field Ambulance. They were very sorry to lose lung said Major Carbery, for his conduct had been exemplary from the day he had registered. In tire last seven months Private Priestley had attended thirty-four one and a half hour parades, eleven half-dry parades,' in addition to seven days in camp, qualifying according to regulation, for his efficiency badge. (Applause.) It taught everyone a lesson, who claimed that he could not do the required amount of drill: it was quit } easy to do it. Priestley had had trouble in doing this, because his work had been of an arduous nature, and be had to make periodical visits to Whanga - momona. Here they had a man, employed in a responsible position, who had been able in nine months to complete the whole of his year’s training. In four months he had completed half his training. For the efficiency examination, the number of subjects required was very extensive-—thirteen subjects for some, but, in the case of the Field Ambulance, twelve. Thus II Company had as subjects, physical drill, squad drill, manual drill, discipline in barracks, discipline in camps, semaphore, etc.; in the Field Ambulance they had first-aid, sanitation, discipline in hospital, and a rood number of similar subjects. Each and everyone of them had to pass this examination; so far his (Major Carbery’s) men had passed in five or six subjects. General efficiency was merely doing a certain amount of marching and a certain amount of drill, but the examinations for the efficiency badge was for them a written one. To pass, 50 per cent, of marks was. required, but Private Priestley had not only oualified in all these subjects, but Ids was a pass of a very high order—ho was a first-class efficient, and to do this required 70 per cent, of the total marks. In this connection the aped-e----mentioned that twenty of - his men had still to compote. (Lit of twenty men, Private Priestlev occupied a.s high as fourth place. (Applause.) Captain Lampen, on behalf of H Company, also wished Private Priestley good luck and every future happiness.

r l'he evening concluded with the sieging of “Auld Lang Syne.” and the hope was expressed that it would be possible to bold in the future many such social evenings, though not fe v a similar cause, as “good men” could iil bo spared.