MOBILISATION WORK

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14830, 22 November 1913, Page 11

MOBILISATION WORK

The Stipendiary Magistrate has intimated that he will be in attendance at the Christcbureh courthouse to-day at 9.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. lor the purpose of ewearing-in special constables.

The number of "specials" in camp at Addington is now vury large. A number of dismounted men, principally those sworn in at the Christchurch courthouse on Thursday evening and yesterday, have reported themselves to the O.C.

The camp routine is working smoothly, and those who have not had any previous experience of camp life are rapidly accommodating themselves to it. Yesterday morning and afternoon the men were drilled, to a/ custom them to work unitedly and obey orders. In the afternoon there was a parade of mounted men and dismounted men, the latter taking the part of a crowd and tho mounted men riding through them to accustom the horses to crowd conditions. Shortly before two o'clock thirty or forty "specials" sworn in at the Christchurch courthouse arrived at the entrance to the camp. Between ton and fourteen men «onio of whom looked as if on picket duty awaited them, and as they marched in besought them not to enter tho gates but to bo men. One picket said to ono of the "specials": "Harry, this is the last thing I thought I would sco you at." Others urged the ''specials ,7 not to "go back on their old schoolmates," but the remark most often used was: "Bo men and don't go insido the gates." >

A little delay occurred at the Rates whilst the guards inspected passes, and the picket party made a movement towards the entrance. Two "regular" mounted constables, who were pa duty out&ido the gates interposed, and kept

the crowd off the footpath and away from tho entrance, at the same time advising thorn not to uso ''abusive language." Last evening the camp at Addington presented an even more populous and tenanted appearance than usual. A~ strong body of mounted men from Wai- - mate had arrived, and fatigue parties were busy erecting tents and making all the necessary arrangements for the new accession to the force available. Now all the representative district contingents are under canvas, these including men from Ashburton, "Wniraato, Southbridgo, Rangiora, Cheviot, and the Amuri. • There is no lack of offers to enrol, • and there.will be no trouble in setting-.' iii "reliefs" to take on the duties of . the men now in camp, (should the'" , trouble be of long-duration, and any of the special constables need leave to get,' away about their business. A splendid response has boen made' to the call for spare horses, and many I farmers have offered to send . along horses should they be wanted. A number of speculations have ap- . peared in print as to the actual number of men now in camp, but they are entirely unofficial, and cannot be relied . upon to be accurate. The authorities; are rightly keeping all their plans and . contemplated raovemente quiet, bo that - when the time comes steps can be taken - with vigour and certainty, thus lessen- - ing any chance of any "regrettable in- • cidents." The mounted police officers who were - on duty* all day before the ga&s had a trying time, and wore not at oil sorry to be relieved in the evening. • The ■ strike picket and its sympathisers nunv . bered about sixty men, a good many Lyttelton men being amongst the crowd, and we are informed that they caused •• a good deal of annoyance. , "From..* familiarity they proceeded to "cbeeki- , ness," and at last the officers had to clear the whole number away from.the . vicinity of the Show-ground gates, or there might possibly hare been a' disturbance. . .. . • -

Tho men in camp seem very jolly and contented; everyone has nothing but \ praise for tho excellent catering and accommodation, and thoso nou on duty fill in the time with gamen of cricket on >~ the oval, and football, down tho north- ■ era side of the grounds, while the . musically inclined play on the piano : and chant more or less melodiously to their hearts' content. ■- ' .