TRENTHAM CAMP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2411, 17 March 1915, Page 6

TRENTHAM CAMP

THE DIN OF BATTLE RAGES QUALITY OF THE HORSES Iron Hi am military-training camp is growing ovcry day, and as it grows it becomes more interesting. Tents cover a great area of ground, but their elimination is at hand; and their successors, the soldiers' huts, are almost in sight. Une lias beeu ereoted, but it is not quite of the plan that the remainder are to be built to. It is a longish structure, with walls and roof of corrugated iron, and floor of wood. It will accommodate 100 men, but the huts J which are to follow it will be built to accommodate fifty. The camp authorial 6 cons ' c ' or that 100 men is a less suit- ? un . 1 ' )er have under one roof than 50 is; hence the change. ihe din of battlo raged round the camp yesterday afternoon. Only two companies were endeavouring to puncture the bull's-eyes on the rile targets, but tile hills echoed and re-echoed the explosions, and the rumpus was sufficient to almost lead anyone to believe that a battle of magnitude was in progress. To one watching the firing easually it seemed that some bull's-eyes had almost charmed lives, but on the whole the shooting was very effective. Ihe greater portion of the Fourth and the Filth Iteinforcement6 were away yesterday doing tactical exorcises, -'lost of the men who were on the parade ground will join the Sixth Reinforcements. Officers and non-commis-sioned officers for that contingent are now being instructed. The business portion of the camp is still expanding, and among the latest shingles to be hung out are those of a couple of photographers and a lawyer. Carpenters are now at work on promises, which, according to a notice, are to be a depot for military literature. One thing which is noticeable by a visit to the camp is that, notwithstanding the fears which were once entertained on the subject of the horse supply, the horses now in camp are quite suitable and of very good quality, lie average quality of tlio animals "now at Trentham is better than the average quality of the horses which were sent away with some of the previous contingents. The mounted men, especially, of the Fourth and Fifth seem to have secured a good stamp of horse.

METHODIST CHAPLAIN FOR THE GAMP.

The recent Methodist Conference at Christoliurch designated the Rev. W. Walker as resident Methodist chaplain at Trentham Camp, and he is to enter upon his duties next week. He has been in charge of the Dunedin Central Mission during the past year, and the appointment gives great satisfaction to those who know Mr. Walker and the men. The conference also appointed a strong Wellington committee to co-oper-ate with the chaplain in the arrangements for his work. The committee has taken up its duties vigorously, and has already accepted a tender for a spacious hall for the chaplain's work at the camp, the contractor being Mr. J. H. Bonnett.