H.—l9

14

With reference to the supplies required for next year's camps, including canteens, it is proposed that each O.C. District shall invite tenders for the same for the camps and canteens to be held in his district. These tenders will be submitted to the Quartermaster-General (with the O.C. District's recommendation) for approval, in order that he may compare the prices of the four districts, and satisfy himself that the rates are reasonable. The units of the brigades in camp, instead of drawing the usual ration allowance and making their own arrangements as to supplies, as hitherto, were supplied with rations, &c, to scale in kind from the brigade-camp supply and ordnance depot, thus not only relieving the Regimental Staffs of a considerable amount of responsibility, and leaving them more opportunity of devoting their attention to the training of their commands, but also ensuring a more uniform system of supply. To control the receipt and issue of supplies and ordnance stores in the brigade camps, brigade supply and ordnance officers (Territorial) were selected in each district, and a central supply-depot was formed in each brigade camp. The selected supply officers were assembled at Headquarters in January last for a fortnight's course of instruction in their duties, under the Quartermaster-General. In conducting the supply-depot, each Brigade Supply Officer had the assistance of a selected Staff non-commissioned officer of the Army Service Corps, and also the following Staff, selected prior to the camps from the units undergoing training : Supply Staff —Two clerks, three butchers, four issuers; Ordnance Staff—two clerks, four issuers. (b.) Canteens. In order to provide "dry" canteens at the various brigade camps, tenders were invited as widely as possible in the four districts, and the highest tenders accepted for the privilege of conducting these dry canteens. The proceeds of the tenders have been distributed to the various brigades pro rata and devoted by the Officers Commanding to the provision of extra supplies, comforts, recreation facilities, &c, required during the camps for the troops assembled. Complaints were made in some cases of high prices being charged. This will be rectified next year by the issue beforehand of a fixed scale of prices. (c.) Rations and Forage. The following daily scale of rations for issue in the brigade camps was laid down, and proved.ample for all requirements:— .... Allowance Artlole ' per Man. Bread 41b. Meat .. .. .. l| lb. Tea .. .. | oz. Sugar .. .. .. 4 oz. Cheese .. .. .. 2 oz. Jam .. .. .. 4 oz. Potatoes .. .. .. 1 lb. Onions .. .. . . 4 oz. Butter .. .. .. 4 oz. Salt .. .. .. | oz. Pepper .. .. .. -faoz. Porridge .. . . . . 2 oz. Coffee ... .. .. i oz. Milk (fresh) .. .. .. 3 gallons, 50 men. or Milk (tin) .. .. .. 1 tin, 8 men. Flour .. .. .. | lb. twice a week. Baking-powder .. .. \ lb. forJJOjnen, twice a week. Biscuits .. .. .. I lb. (6 to a pound). Kindling-wood .. .. One cord per 10 days ) When Salamander kitchen Coal .. .. .. 3 cwt. per oven per day j is used. Candles .. .. - .. 1 candle per tent. p , ~, ' | When Salamander kitchens are not used. Straw .. .. .. 10 lb. per man. Oats .. .. .. 10 lb. per day per horse. Oat-sheaf chaff .. ..12 Ib. As this was the first year of training in brigade camps, it was decided to err rather on the side of having more rations than not enough, and as the scale laid down proved more than ample, it is hoped, in view of the experience gained, to decrease it next year. (d.) Field Cooking. Field (Salamander) cooking-ovens had been recently obtained, and were issued to the camps in the proportion of two to each regiment. These proved a great success, and, besides enabling the Regimental cooking to be carried out under more favourable circumstances, also gave a considerable saving in labour and fuel; in fact, the saving in fuel alone at the brigade camps has