THE TERRITORIALS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144086, 3 May 1913, Page 4

THE TERRITORIALS.

NOTES ON ORINGI CAMP. fjpeaking-of the arrangements made by the transport officers and stall for the entraining of the men and their baggage alter the last camp, a : aiiwny official at Oringi informed a representative cf the Dominion that tney wore tho nearest approach to pcrlcciicm he had seen during many years’ experience in handling large crowds. Although about three thousand Territorials and their baggage were entrained on Saturday morning there was not The slightest hitch, and every train lett lo tune. Only the excellent behaviour ol the men made such a result possible. Mo had no hesitation in saying that he had never, undtr any circumstances witnessed■■ better conduct in a large gathering of people. He wished this statement made public as he had had ample opportunity of observing the general behaviour of the Territorials and he was quite convinced that the reports regarding the Damievirke incident had created an impression on the public mind which did the majority of the young fellows and their responsible officers a grave injustice.

A member of tho New Zealand Permanent Artillery force who was present during the whole period of the camp which terminated on Saturday last, and who is engaged upon transport work for the next gathering, also volunteered a statement to our rcpre» sentative regarding the.conduct of the Territorials. Ho claimed to speak with the knowledge gained during sixteen years of a soicticr’slifo, ten of which had ben spent in the Imperial Army. Ho had . lived under canvas for a total period of about six years, and had participated in many important military .camps at Home, but had never been present at any military gathering at which a better spirit was displayed by tho rank and file thnir.it tho recent Territorial camp. In making this statement ho had no personal interest at stake. Ho was deputed for special work at tho various Oringi camps, and the conduct of tho Territorials—good or bad—was a matter ol indifference to him personally, but a sense of justice impelled him to pay his tribute to the conduct of tho Territorials. It was useless to attempt any denial of tho fact that a few youths had grossly misconducted themselves when on leave, but tho grave error into which tho general public appeared to have fallen was that they had taken this regrettable incident as a standard for judging the conduct of the vast majority of tho mpn, and the genera! discipline, of tho camp. AATicn it was remem bored that tho Territorial movement in New Zealand wms in its infancy, and thatytho youths had not yet been schooled to submission to strict military discipline, their behaviour and the spirit with which they went about the work were matters for tho highest congratulation. The Territorials themselves appeared to be almost unanimous in their appreciation of the arrangements made for their comfort while under canvas. There had, of course, been isolated complaints, but these came from the pampered youth, who would grumble because his ration did not include iced cake. With regard to occasional outbreaks of misconduct, those might always bo expected on a minor scale. As a rule such exhibitions wore due to a defect pi human nature which no system of military discipline, however strict, could cure.