STOPPED BY RAIN

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2153, 20 May 1914, Page 9

STOPPED BY RAIN

THE CASUAL CAMP

TROOPS RETURN HOME

After struggling with the elements since Thursday last tho Wellington Territorials v who' have been attending tho odsual camp at Takapau returned last night, the' military authorities . having wisely' decided to abandon the camp. Tho main body of 800 men who constituted tho Takapau casual camp arrived at Takapau on Thursday, and tho camp commenced in proper on Friday last. It was intended that it should havo continued till Saturday next. Continuous rain on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mado it impossible to carry'out training, and tho announcement was made on. Monday that tho camp would break up the following morning. Tho Territorials received tho announcement with tho utmost" satisfaction, for they had been living under .wretched conditions. The 800 men in tlio camp were drawn from all parts of the Wellington, Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay Provinces, and they caught the en,rly trains at Takapau yesterday morning; for their homes.' The Wellington' contingent camo ■ dojyn by the Napier express, • whicli reached. Thorndon station at 6-50 last night. With pinched cold faces and great coats still damp, and boots covered with mud, the Territorials boro amplo evidonco of tho hardship they had undergone. Nevertheless they came in with bugles blowing and a popular song was "loudly Sung as the train steamed into the station. :

No Complaints. Lieutenant Morris,_ of the sth (Wellington) Regiment, with Sergeant-Major Smith and Sergeant-Major (Jorkill, was in charge of tho men on tho train. Speaking to a reporter Lieutenant Morris paid a compliment to the men on their behaviour on the journey down. Regarding tho conditions at Takapau, lio said that, tho -whole camp ground was covered with water. Tho men made no complaints. Reveillo went at 4 o clock yesterday morning, and the men turned out in tho rain, which was still falling. They wero paid at's o'clock for five days, and after a hot breaklast entrained at. 7.30 a.m. The ground in tho vicinity of 'tho camp looked'like 3 quagmire, for it had never had' a dhance to dry up after tho men from the mam camp left. An indication of the weather that has been experienced mjiy bo gained from tho fact that tho rainfall at Damievirke, within 15 miles of the cncampment, has been a record tins monthj it having been wet on sixteen days out of-eighteen. The show"ot ? U , Leav y- 0n Fmlay tho however, added further to the ant conditions, and at tho camp tho tramping of men and horses won turned everything underfoot into slush.

General Health Good. ' The general health of tho casuals has been , good during the few days they , wore ,n camp; but undoubtedly S s have been laid up had the camp been .continued. '■ After their'arlival last night,one Territorial spoke in disgust to: another of the conditions at lakapau. I have not had drv feet since I have been up there," he observ--5,,; , Dry feet I ejaculated-'another. Not much. ' I don't 'believe anyone nas."; ;ij.t!c. ;;•.!) j 1,2; ban ■ It-is- not likely that the'Beferice Department, will-, attempt to hold further camps this year to make up the "time lost calls'!'"'The- wilf mot bo decided before' Major General Uomey returns. : '

The men of the sth Regiment loft ■Wellington.-on Friday morning;., imd tho tram journey lasted twelve hours. It Was 9.lt> p.m..- when -Takapau Station was reached> and it was "then rainW t'wonty-mimrtes' march to the camp followed,' through the dark, and when the men arrived in camp they wero Riven a hot meal, served, in the marquees. On Saturday morning the men were paraded, but after half an hour they had to be dismissed, owing to tlic rain. Later in tho morning, when the weather looked like clearing, the troops were again paraded) but were soon dismissed tor the day. All Sunday it.raincd, according to the statement made by oiio of tho returned Territorials. In the afternoon church parade was held, and service was conducted in- tho pictureshow shed, 'Oil Monday. morning tho Tam-eame down in torrents, but tho men turned out to the . by General Hamilton, who . congratulated them on their appearance under sucli adverso conditions. Major General Godley was also present. Yesterday 'the men caught tho train at, 7.30 a.m. at the camp siding. The returned Territorials speak in terms of liiijh praise of Captain Richardson, who was in charge of the men .of tho sth llegiment attending the casual camp. :

TERRITORIAL CAMPS. TAKAPAU AND ORINGI COMPARED. Officers and men attending camps in w • VL*^f r have vivid recollections of fcQro throats and chills inseparably associated with damp 'feet arid the sudden changes from tho warm tent to tho cold outer air.. At tho Oringi C'amp last yeaif the medical staff wore kept busy up till all hours, and thero were over 1000 minor eases of sickness reportetl at the Ambulance. At .lakapau, despite tho exceptionally severe weather, only a few dozen "reported sick, and tho general health of the men was remarkably good. Now for a solution of this seeming paradox! At the Oringi canteen thero iras no "Fluenzol" but plenty of other preparations. At Takapau tho position was roverscd. Tho canteen contractors (Messrs. Dwyer and Tarland) turned down everything but "Fluenzol," of which some two gross in the aggregate was purchased by tho troops. In many instances ono-bottle would go tho rounds of a tent and bo tho moans of stopping more than ono incipient soro throat or feverish chill. Only those who have gargled "Fluenzol" as directed can fully appreciate the great value of this sterling remedy.*