FOR TAKAPAU CAMP.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2125, 17 April 1914, Page 9

FOR TAKAPAU CAMP.

SVHAT IS REQUIRED BY A DIVISION.

CARE OF THE HORSES.

The Dofence Department has now got well in hand all the arrangements for tho big military camp which opens at Takapau on April it, A great deal of the preliminary work has ,f alien upon the Director of Stores, and up to dato twenty-eight trucks of goods havo been dispatched to Takapau. As showing thn varied requirements of a camp of 'tho nature of Takapau, whero 5000 mon will be under canvas, tho following aro among tho. many things sent:—Circular tents, 1058; marquees, 50; ground sheets, 5650; wash-hand basins, 949; buckets,74o; bayonet candlesticks, 943; stablo lanterns,. 999; felling axes, 40; pick-axes, 212; picket ropes, 141; crowbars, 35; spades, 60; r'ayo lanterns, 38; shovols,-200; rakes, 23; barrows, 35; arm racks (largo) 200; (small) 759. . Tho department ruled over by the camp cooks has not been forgotten, and for the use of the. cooks there has been ordorod:—Gamp kettles, 999; B'gallon boilers, 200; 20-gal!on boilers,' 70; butchers' cleavers, 60; large meat hooks, 60; Salamanca cookers (500 men each/, 10; (250'mon each), 4; cooks' knives; 10. The regiments provide their own cooks. .■■•■

There will be a hospital and ambulance at tho camp for both the mount-, ed and infantry divisions, and six hospital marquees will be erected. There will also' be two ■ operating tents. The hospitals will be provided with separate cooking arrangements, and bedding and stretchers will also bo provided. Each Ambulance corps will'bring-in' its own stretchers, sixteen in number, and while, in camp bandsmen will act as bearers. For the purposo they will wear a distinguishing arm-badge.

Eight medicine chests'will be sent to the camp; and tho chief medical officer will make arrangements for surgeons and medical officers to be in attendance. The modicino chests will each contain lyd.'waterproof linen: lib: boric lint; lib. cotton-wool; 1 doz. 2iin. bandages; ldoz. 3in. bandages; I metal catho;tor; 12 ready-to-hand splints; nhd a dozen different kinds of pills. The' total number of pills to bo sent to the camp js 24,000; three thousand in each medicine chest,'so it is apparent that any complaint of the minor nature will bo readily dealt with. The surgical haversacks arc also provided and furnished fn. a lavish manner.

Horses In Gamp. One of tho most important duties which will fall upon the Defonce Department during the big military camps' will be, in the'care of the horses. It is estimated that over 1500 horses will bo required.at Takapau, and already provision is being made' for tho. care of thes'o. '- As announced in The Dominion recently, special medicine chests, havo been : madq by the Department of Military ] Stores, ' and stocked with such remedies as may ho needed by the Veterinary ;surgeons: .Those will be of great, benefit, for at' past camps, great difficulty has been experienced in getting suitable "remedies in urgent cases. The New Zealand Veterinary Corps is becoming, an important branch with, tho need-for so many mounts. .The'duties carried out by officers,of the corps are principally in connection with the purchase of remounts, attendance at mounted camps, .and the delivery of lectures. The horses purchased aro mainly for artillery purposes,.,. ( and' although many horses.' required, have been offered to''the'.Department,' 'difficulty has been experir Dnced in the past to. secure animals ofuniform type,'and possessing the style arid carriage desired. A report by Lio'utenant-Colonel C. J. Rwlces,, Dir"ctor of Veterinary Services, dealing with the care of horses in camps, states that tho. experience of veterinary .officers atr tending camps shows that a large percentage ~of casualties arise from preventable, and ' therefore., reducible, causes. Foremost amongst these are injuries' sustained .through kicks revived! in the horse'lines, and also an .ncrea'singly largo, number of injuries flue to. 'improperly-fitted' saddles., The importance of properly-fitted saddles cannot be over-estimated, and it is desirable/'that: all saddles should be of approved uniform pattern. Colonel Reakes .isTstronglv- of opinion that Dro-perly-qualified saddlers .should be.in*attendance "at camps, as well as an adequate riurnberof farriers.

. Tho. quality of the horses brought into camp is commented on by the Director of Veterinary Services, who considers that a proportion aro of quite -unsuitable type, being undersized animals, incapable of carrying the weight required on .service conditions; or y on the other hand, some horses brought into' camp are coarse, heavy, rough, underbred animals, .showing too much draught bipod. Naturally, under conditions necessitating obligatory service ono could not look for the same average high standard' of horso as even under a volunteer system, but be felt there was room for improvement in this direction.

The sit© selected for tho camp is situB i ont two mlles itom ti lo township of Takapau, on tho property of Mr Sydney Johnson. Tho spot is an ideal" one for training, purposes—is very ]iealthy,.and troops should greatly benefit during tho fortnight they will'be under caiivas. Tho camping' ground is almost, surrounded by a belt of trees. (The. river Porangahau flows on the north pide, from which water will bo pumped for the uso of tho troops and horses. Captain Hamilton, Camp.Supply and Ordnance Officer, has a staff of about 30 men engaged in ; the work of erecting cook-houses, canteens (of which there will bo thrco), and store-houses. Tho westorq side of the camp will be utilised by tho Armv Service Corps, Field Artillery Brigade, and the Royal Engineers, whilst the infantry regiments will bo quartered on tho eastern side, with District Headquarters in between. The mounted troops and ambulance Corps will occunv tho northern , area pf the .ground. Training operations will bo earned out at tho rear of the camp pver tho. railway lino, in country that is most suitablo for tho purpose. An enterprising picture show pronator has arranged to erect a Wee shed to seat. 400, and will eive a mVhtlv entertainment. ,\n opon-air picture entertainment wilt also bo given every evening.