TERRITORIAL CAMPS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14986, 5 June 1914, Page 9

TERRITORIAL CAMPS.

GENERAL GCDLEY'S EErOBT.

(PRESS A«nrT*7TOV TTTnRUt.I WELLINGTON. Juno i. The following report upon the Territorial camp? recentsv held throughout New Zealand was furnished by Major General Gcdley to the Hon. James Allen. Minister of Defence, to-<lay.

"What are probably the most important camps ever hold in Ne-.v Zealand have now concluded. For the nrot time in the history of fche citk'.esi army all the troops in each district, with the exception of the Garrison Artillery, which camped separately, were assembled in one tamo and have thus been enabled to carry out operations in which horse, foot, and artillery -tvero combined. The camps derived very greatly added importar.ee from the fact that the wprk done by them was been by the Inspector-General of. Oversea Forces, General Sir Lan Hamilton, ard that upon his impressions of them the report which ho is to make to the Imperial Government and to the Dominion Government nil! be. largely based. Those who were unable to attend the first camp atter.dod a casual camp held immediately afterwards, on the same ground.

After de-tailing the c-aaip<s visited by General Hamilton. Gci.eral Gcdley say.s:—At the casual camps the attendance was 36 follows :— ... ... .-,20 Canterbury ... :W6 Nelson ... ... 113 Wellington ... (535 Auckland ... 190 Only one of these (at Takapau) had the good fortune to be &een by Sir lan Hamilton. Particularly good work was done- by tho Otajzo casuals. Altogether 16,752 troops were inspected by General Hamilton. In addition to the citizen army, concentrations of Cadets for inspection by Sir lan Hamilton took place as follows:— Invercargill ... 1.030 Dunedin ... ... 1813 Oamaru ... ... 115 Timaru ... ... l>B9 Christchurch ... IGB3 Nelson ... ... G43 Jtotorua ... ... 433 Hamilton ... 1070 Auckland ... 1712 Bastings ... 1226 Pnlmerstqn North... 1034 Wan-janui ••• 580 Now" Plymouth ... 940 ' Wellington ... 1304 Master ton ... 531 Blenheim ... 313

This made a total of Cadets inspected of 17,805. Thoso of Cadets necessitated tho boys coming in many instances from considerable distances. In many cases where thuv had to stay the night arrangements for their billetinc and feeding wero inado by the civil authorities and citizens, and the Defence Department owes a great debt of gratitude to all those who assisted in this respect. A considerable strain was put on the organisation and administration of the Department by having the troops and Cadets assembled at practically the same time, but tho organisation stood tho test and. generally speaking, both camps and concentrations of Cadets paesod off without a hitch. Special sacrifices wore also demanded from employers for tho same reason, but as a rule they responded ungrudgingly and allowed all their employees to bo away as far as was passible.

The Inspector-General saw every unit of the citizen army and every Cadet company, and, confeidoiing tho difficulties of concentration, it is'satisfyinc that ho should have seen co large a proportion, namely. 36.157 of the total ■strength of 51.561 of Territorials and Cadets, or over 70 ocr cent. TWoiign the cahi'ps were comnleted this -ear earlier than usual (hitherto tliev have always run into June), a great deal of. bad weather was experienced owinnr to the winter beirg tiorally early, but tho conduct ard Rn'Vit of the troops wae as a rule excellent, and tho consenuent on the wet weath** were mnde little of by tho.se who had to bear them.