THE "FIFTH" MARCH HOME

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2445, 26 April 1915, Page 5

THE "FIFTH" MARCH HOME

A FINE BODY OF MEN. To show w'h/it military training can effect in a bod.y of young men, one had only to witness the sth. (Wellington) Regiment maroh through the streets of the City on Saturday morning. Somehow or other it was imagined tlmb the recent call 6 upon the Kegjment i'or service iii Samoa as well as for enlistments would have impaired efficiency, but there was nothing to indicate any falling off. The regiment lias just completed its aiinual camp training at Karori, In which the men have acquitted themselves well, and on Saturday morning, in full marching order, and headed by the band, marched into town by way of tile old Karori Road, Sydney Street, Bowcn Street, Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Cuba,. Vivian, and Taranaki Streets, to the Buckle Street drill-yard, where the men,- 651 all told, were addressed by Major W. Simm, Acting-Officer Commanding the, Regiand dismissed. Major Simm, when addressing the regiment, said that he was proud to have had the privilege of being the officer oomnlanding the regiment during its annual training, and was pleased with the steadiness with' which they had niarched ihrough tho streets that day. He could especially appreciate the enrriage and bearing of the men as it had been secured in spite of the fact that they Were carrying arms in a manner they were not acoustomed to. . Their steadiness on the maich was quite reTJiarkabld. He Was proud of the 6th Regifflent. It was a pleasure and privilege to cotomaiid men who had shown themselves so amenable to discipline as they had.' Major Simm then briefly addressed the officers, and after complimenting thein on their work, said that he accounted the camp one of tile most pleasurable experiences in his life. If ■it were ever his good fortune, to be placed in comhiand again he hoped it would be in association with such officers as themselves.

Speaking privately afterwards to a DosliNlofj representative, Major Simm skid that he.believes tile camp was olte of the steadiest and best-behaved ever held ill New Zealand, He/did not altogether base that on his own observation, but only oil Friday the constable Ktati6ned at Karori had informed him that the conduct of the regiment had been most exemplary, and ho had llot lmd a single complaint during the Whole period of the camp. After the regiment was dismissed the men claimed their hit bags from the heaps which had been brought in by wagon, and shouldering them cheerfully made for liotne. It is understood that a section of the sth Regiment intend enlisting in the Extra Force that is to be sent abroad shortly.