AT ORINGI CAMP.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1365, 16 February 1912, Page 4

AT ORINGI CAMP.

SHELLING THE ENEMY,

GENERAL GODLEY'S INSPECTION

NINE DAYS' PAY

(By our Special Reporter.) Yesterday ivns Ilio (lay of (rial «t Oriugi. At about !) a.m. the G.O.C. (Major-General A. .1. Godley, CD.) arrival from Dnmit'virke, where he had been staying overnight, and proceeded to inspect tho artillery brigade and the Held engineer company. The entire strength of the camp was paraded on tjio gun park. D battery paraded with the guns, while the I , ' and J iiatteries, witli tho Engineers, were assembled on foot. The- two newer batteries—F and J— with most of the Kngiiieers, are clothed in tho new service uniform, and the general appearance of these men was effective and striking. D battery, being for the most clad in the old pattern of uniform, presented a more weatherbeaton appearance. As they were tho oldest and most experienced of the three, their well-seasoned, aspect wns not inappropriate, though detracting somewhat from the general appearance of the turn-out. This, of course, was not the fault of "D" men—they are "ailing no«- i, )r (hoir new kit to' be issued. Extra Kits Wanted. . A passing thought while on (his subject of uniforms is the question wnether such special services as the artillery and tho J-.ngmecrs should not be supplied with an extra futiguo kit, uf stout drill, for t.ieir work is far more severe on their clothes than is tho case with other reiZJn?- i " ,P , sm ' ice - The mounted legiments, too, have some excuse for anxiety in this regard, as "stables' , work is not dean work. Jiut in the artillery there is added to the wear ami tear of stables work the severe strain which the uoiking of the guns and the constant mounting iim l dismounting from (ho umbers and ammunition wagons puts upon the uniform. With the Engineer* to work about m (he mud and wet n( nvor-uanks— sometimes waist-high in tho water-and do all sorts of navvyiug, treo. ielling, and so on, the call for a knockabout kit is even more urgent. Xt is beyond question (hat some of the now umlorms of the Engineers at the Oringi Camp must have suffered severely during the trench-digging, rivei-dam-miiig, and bridge-building operations which have been carried out. No doubt tne authorities have considered (hose matters already. It is a question of As. d. all the time, and if the working kits cannot be issued now to these special services, it is probably because the money won tgo round. Still, it seems to be a poor economy to shorten the life of a superior kit in order (o dispense with, even fur a time, the extra expense of providing working kite.

Remarks by the G.O.C. But this is by the way. After inspection, the assembled brigade and engineers were addressed by the General, lie was very glad, he said, to meet the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Wellington, Xapier, and l'almeislon batteries, and the Wellington Fieid Engineers, and to have ths occasion and opportunity tii congratulate them on such a good turn-out. They were indeed a superior .stump of men, nml he was greatly impressed by their smart appearance, and soldierly bearing. Such progress in u period of five days was really wonderful in such a short space of time, and was most encouraging to the success of the new scheme which they had all so much at heart. The camp at Oringi was the first to be held in New Zealand under (he now regime, and if all (he others which were to follow were as satisfactory as the evidence showed theirs to have been, it would be cause for profound satisfaction.

For the first time in the historv of artillery training in New Zealand, three field batteries had come together, an event.wliicli marked a new era in the dovclopmoiit of the artillery branch of the service in this country. He felt sure that when they got their new guns they would make good use of (hem. The general concluded with the hope thai they had enjoyed themselves in camp, and hud realised that there was somethiug very pleasant in soldieriug. The work this year had ■necessarily been of « very elementary kind. Next year, however, it would be much more interesting. Jn the meantime he hoped that all would qualify themselves thoroughly, in order that they might prove their efficiency at the training camp next year.

The Foe's Discomfiture, After a general inspection of (lie camp, and of (lie field kitchen and outpost shelters which had been constructed by the engineer:!, tho business of dislodging; the supposed enemv from his entrenchments on the hills beyond the Manawatu Kivcr was proceeded with. Two battalions of infantry (on paper), wero detailed to cross (ho river, via the flying bridge which had been constructed by the en. gincers, and attack the enemy under cover of artillery fire. D Battery—F and J wero interested spectators—opened fire on the enemy's entrenchments, which were represented by a gun epoulement and scrim targets, from a concealed position. The sixth ranging shot found the target, and then the buttery pumped shrapnel into the distant hills for (he space of ten minutes or so.

Next followed an advance to a position more exposed to tho enemy, and nearer to the river, the presumption being (hat the psychological moment had arrived for the complete demoralisation of the foreign i'oe. From this new position shell after shell screamed forth, whizzing through, the air villi a shrill clamour peculiarly resembling (he roar of an express train some distance away. About midday tho practice concluded, : nnd' the officers assembled lo hear from tho G.0.C., and from tho Director of Ordnance (Lieuton-niit-Colonel Johnston), some words of kindly criticism. The sum and substance of their remarks were largely what might have ]>een expected to lie said of n battery which hud passed through a period of transition wherein seasoned veterans had been, replaced by younger and less experienced men. The drill was good; also tho shootinj. The method of 'passing along Hip orders from (lie Baderr commander left something to be desired, while the mnniier of coming into action disclosed the feet that the tactical situiilion—the paper enemy in the middle distance-wns not fully appreciated. On (ho whole, however, the work was classed as good, all circumstances being considered, and (he officers dispersed encouraged by the criticism they had received.

Nino Days' Pay. General Godley, who was accompanied by his stall officer, left for Wellington by tho raid-day express. The remaining days ot the camp will be derated to shell practice, and it is hoped to give V Battery (the Napier men) an opportunity of handling the guns in action before the break-up of the camp. .T Battery, of course, is quite ignorant of the techninuc of the guns, but their association with the more experienced pinners while in camp has been of the greatest benefit to them, ami they are looking forward with o:\gprnoss to the time when they will have tJipjr own guns. Ni;rht firing'is also on tho programme, but the weather shows signs of breaking up, and rain has already fallen.

Nine days' pay, according to rank, ia ti be granted to every man in camp, the (lays of arrival and departure—Saturday, February 10, and Sunday, February IS— being added to the statutory seven days' (mining ]>eriod. This announcement has been haiiod with delight by the m«n in camp, who ave now thoroughly convinced Hint a week of compulsory military training means having a really good time. The camp will break up on Sunday.