THE CAMP AT ORINGI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1748, 13 May 1913, Page 5

THE CAMP AT ORINGI.

MOUNTED BAND FORMING. NEW SALAMANDER OVENS IN USE. (By Telegraph— Special Correspondent.) Oringi Camp, May 12. The weather conditions at Oringi aro still the reverse of cheerful. All Sunday and Inst night heavy showers of rain and hail fell intermittently. The Polar atmosphere, however, is not so severe as it was, but still, only by constant action, can ouo keep the blood circulating comfortably. It is only natural that the horse iinis are anything but stable-like, and this has tended to give the camp a rather depressing appearance. In some places, owiii" to the nature of the ground, the lines have been churned up to such an extent that it is necessary to make « wide detour in order to pass through. Tho horses in these lines have been exposed to the weather in nil its force, and considerable anxiety has been experienced for them by their owners. This, however, has now been rectified. New lines have been made about a quarter of a mile from the camp in a natural shelter. The new position is protected on one side from the chilling winds that caused the change bv a high cliff, and, on the other, by thick bush, the ground itself being well covered with sheltering trees ami scrub. The horses aro now as comfortable and warm-as they would bt> if in their own stables. ' Special attention has been given them, guard tents having been pitched, and piquets being on duty all night. It speaks well for the care which the horses have had bestowed upon them that the camp has been surprisingly free from the ailments which horses generally suffer under such conditions. The changing of the horse lines will give tho ground where tho old lines were a chance to harden. It will also .mitigate the nuisanco of horses getting loose at night and galloping through tho lines. Some of the men apparently have the careless habit of slipping tho halter of the horse after hi has consumed tho regulation allowance of fodder. This enabbs the horse to wander about at will, and secure a good feed of grass. For tho "benefit" of these forgetful people, a specially constructed enclosure has been built, and is being used as a pound. Any horse found loose at night is placed therein, and tli3 owner, on claiming it in the morning, is fined. Oil account of the rough weather tho men also have had special attention in cases where such was needed. New straw was issued this morning, drill was abandoned. and huge fires lit throughout tho camp. Round those fires the men dried nil clothing that was damp or wet. Guards and picquets. on night duty, were allowed an extra supply of hot- coffee, and Ihe welfare of the men (as a whole and individually) is having tho constant attention of the officers. Tn spite of the stress of the weather there are only four troopers who aro sufficiently ill to take to their beds. These are beiiiT attended to by tho ambulance staff, and are. to be "evacuated" to their homes on tho first fine day. Judging by various signs it is extremelv probable that the weather conditions will soon brighten, and, if such be the ease, a better and moro enjoyable time is in store for the ennip. A few days of sunshine, or even one day, would be sufficient to dry up tho damp, and bring', tho lines back to their former spick and span appearance. Last night <tlie Bishop of TVainpu gave an interesting address to a largo assembly in thS Y.M.C.A. marguee, drawing a simile between tho JI.M.S. New Zealand and the Church. Ho drovo homo some very lino points. Tho writing and reading facilities of the Y.M.C.A. and C.E.M.S. marquees were taken l'ull advantage of yesterday by a large number of men, the writing tables especially being never vacant. The material is supplied i'reo by tho various societies. Tho camp was peculiarly free from visitors yesterday, few, if any, venturing, out in tho rain and cold. This was as it should be, as the camp presented a very drab and depressing eh'ect, and thero aro many who are prone to judge and condemn on first appearances. A field telephone has been established, linking up-headquarters ami tho supply depot a distance of half a mile.

The brigade 'band arrived in camp nt the latter end of last week, and is getting in much good practice. By tho next annual camp this bind will, in all probability, bo mounted, and the men are practising with that end in view. Both man and horse must necessarily be trained specially for this work, tho horse being guided solely by tho rider's feet, as the latter requires both hands to ploy his instrument. A mounted band, at tho head of a regiment, presents a fine sight, tho drummer calling for especial note. Instead of one drum he has two, ono strapped to each side of his horse. Each drum is played iu turn with both hands, and the aspect must indeed be interesting. Too much cannot be said in favour of tlio "Salamander" ovens, invented by Lieutenant Roberts a short time ago. They have, from their inception, given evcrv satisfaction, taking but six months of conscientious and thoughtful labour to perl'cct. Lieutenant Roberts has given to tho market an article that may rovolu ; {ionise camp cooking. In tho Oringi Camp there are three kinds of ovens — the Aldcrshot oven, built for demonstration purposes, is formed in the shape of a mould of clay and bricks, with a sheetiron base. It is stacked with fuel, lit, and then closed. After tho fuel has burned down tho cinders are removed, and Iho food—bread, meat, or whatever it. may be—placed inside, and tho entrance again closcd, tho clay and bricks holding tlio heat for some hours. This cooks the food thoroughly. Tho Maoris havo a similar inodo of cooking. The advantages of this kind of oven are various. It is not necessary to carry it about with tho transport; ono cau bo built anywhero with stones and clay—a big item when tho transport is already a serious problem in a campaign; an even heat is distributed over the oven, and this enables tho food ■to be cooked thoroughly and evenly. The chief disadvantages are:—lt can only cook for a 'small number of people, and only roasts and bread can bo cookcd in

The second kind of oven is the old stylo used in the volunteer camps—a shallow trench, with two rails stretched lengthwise over it. The firo is built in the trench, and "dixies'—a kind of la' l -! 0 Faucf'part —aro placed on tlio rolls. Iho disadvantages of (his kind of cooking arrangement are sufficiently obvious. Probably this, combined with an Aldcrshot oven, would overcome many difficulties, but the advantages (without the disadvantages of both) are to be found in tho "Salamander oven," standing four feet high by about 6ft. x Ift. ■ This iiow oven is lafgo enough to cook for son men. In tlio front is the opening for tho fire, wliie.h runs over the lop of"the oven proper to tho middle of tho itove, where it is divided into two by a Vshaped obstruct ion. It then runs down tho back of the oven, and up the flue. The firn thus heats three sides of to oven—tlie front, tlio top. and the back— and this causes.an even distribution of the heat. The consumption of liiel, when compared with (lint of others is very li'-ht. only about 1 cwt. of wood or cowl per day being u-ed to cook for fiOO men. There 'are two ovens, one on each side running half the length of the sloye at I!," back end. To the front are placed Iwo bailer.?. again, one on each side. Rising above 'the surface of the stove, between and directly over tho fire, is paced a movable steamer, about 3ft. m depth ■rid 3ft. in length. The back ol the stov is left free for tlio heating of irons or the drying of clothes. The stove is made of sheet-iron, riveted together with two handles at each end, to enable it to be'carried anvwhere at will. There is but'one fault", and that is the weight. Thi< could ensilv be overcome by malting tho'ctove iu sections, and using bolts insield of rivets. There are twelve "i-nln-mati ler'-" in use at Oringi, and ono ami all unit., in ringing their pini-'os. It is certain that much of the excellent catering owes not a little to the efficiency of the "Salamander oven."

Si.im* pal ii'itl> ill' Din I dol We Sanatorium. S.mlli Devon, :tn ;n 1 in! ii)!i roiltrolled under 1 tu> Stair 111-inanee so >eme liv I 111' Kins l'Mwiml VII .National Jlm.i--ni-inl <i|' \V:ilf-, have id timed I". tW'll 11,,',,;,,.. llml lln-.v >nil|loporly fed. Ainmix oilier eoniplamU. Il<;> Mut# Unit tlivy wevi' Fivflii poor poind!,? and ham that svas almost ukookkl,