THE FEATHERSTON CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1916, Page 5

THE FEATHERSTON CAMP.

MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS STOMACH-ACHE MAGNIFIED. (From Our Own Correspondent.)' Wellington, Feb. 14 Reports of an alarming character *ra i-tiil being published with regard to Ical'tcn-ton camp, the recent outbreak ni gastric disorder among the troops being (|iiol,i.,| (i(4 proof that the new camp i-i unhealthy and ill found. These repoits may l.«- an unqualified denial. '1 he >je|(in-Mj thai Mrurivd a week or two aj/u of a very mild nature, and appear* !o haw I«« a direct result of I li<- very Ji',l v.'i-atiier. Troubles of the kind aie t>i ;{v.,;.] when big bodies iii linn tnas in summer time; ti,(. v «eii- < niiiiuon in the English camps last Miimm r. The general health of the troopis at iVatiiei>ton is excellent and civilian visitors to the camp bring back very favorable reports. Naturally, the pr-r.-on lio wants to complaints can find men with grievances at any of the military camps. Some recruits, who will make good soldiers in time, are chockful of grievances, which they are ready to pour into a willing ear. But tile legitimate causes of complaint at Fcatherston, so far as your correspondent can learn, are few and insignificant. One critic of the Defence Department, to quote an example of the complaint* that are being made, says that "tier# are not enough huts for all the troops, and some of the men have to be accommodated in tents." The fact is that the, tent encampment forms an essential portion of Featherston camp, and vu included in the original scheme. Experience of tent life is part of the Instruct tional course, and every unit has to spend so. many weeks under canvas tiefore it is fitted to proceed to the front. Then there was the statement that flies bred unchecked in the horse lines and congregated in the latrines and coothouses. The Defence Authorities seat for Professor Kirk as soon as the flits lagan to assert themselves, and the pest has been fouglii vigorously aftA ffU en ti Ilea liy,

MR. ALLEN'S FIXE WORK. It is not easy to dissociate some tf those complaints from the campaign thftt has been conducted against the present Defence Minister, the Hon. J. Allen. Your correspondent, without venturing too iar nn to controversial ground, may be permitted to say that some of Mr. . Allen's critics fail altogether to realUe the magnitude of the work undertaken by the Defence Department since the outbrenk of the war. Many mistake* have been made, naturally, and it is ea»y to point to failing* on the part of the . 'Minister. One of Mr, Allen's weaknesses is an excess of loyalty to hia subordinates, leading him to take blame tint lie could easily transfer to other ghoul* ders. But consider the achievement—, the despatch of 33,000 highly trained troops, in every branch, from a little coung-y that bad no army at all, • as armies iir"understood now, when the war began! livery report that comes to hand goes to show that the New Zealand troops are at least as well trained >■ and well equipped as any soldiers the Empire is producing. The drafts htva been despatched promptly to time and in full force, and the number of recruits in training has grown until it stands to day at some 12,000 men. The things the Defence Department lacked at first —training .staff, permanent camps, medical staff, transport equipment, hospital accommodation, and tbe rest—have been provided, and all the time tile output of trained men has been maintained, and increased, without a check. If the Minister for Defence deserves the blame for the little hitches and troubles, then let ■him have also the credit for the flngj result.