THE NEW CAMPS
THE TRENTHAM REGIMENTS' : EXPERIENCES ; MINISTERS INSPECT THE CAMPS ; . III: luck in regard to • weather conditions attended the commencement which was made on Friday with the shifting of the soldiers who - were- in-camp -'at Trentham to the new camp sites • select l ed in the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts. Considerable rain'fell'on Friday : night, aiid in the Manawatu district especially the fall was particularly heavy, it being the 'greatest recorded in, that district for such a short period for several years past'. The-Manawatu and' other rivers were in'liigh flood, andtoday, when there was no rain, they were ,still running very, high, wlu'lst the roads in many places were still under water.yesterday thero was three or four feet of water on portions of. some of the' roads in. the neighbourhood of Shannon* A large section of the men who left Trentham for the, new encajlipments r iu the Manawatu district experienced the full effect of the-heavy rain.;. The camp: ground at Waikanae became wet and muddy, hut yesterday, thanks to the hospitality of the residents, ' ments were made for housing! as many] as possible. : l'hft other men, the remainder of the .Waikanae contingent,.were to be; provide with dry quarters last night. Another section was sent on from Waikanae yesterday .to Levin, where the Mayor- and residents, also at once set about making them very com- 1 fortable by quartering them in tho Drillshed, school, and public halls.- These men at Waikanao and' Levin form the Seventh Reinforcements.
i The Trentham Regiment. : . Tlio Trentham Regiment (Earl of Liri erpool's Own) set out for Eangiotu, a few miles along the Foxton line beyond I Longburnj but owing to the flooded, state of .the line, the roads, and some of tha • country this' side of the camp''site," Col*' . oiiel Pulton, commanding the regiment,-:. did allow/his: men to disembark,-arid!: the train was run back to Longburn and on to Awapuni. The : residents'of Pal-' merston were-equal to the and dry ,and comfortable quarters were found for: the men in the show ground) and racecourso Yesterdayrthe Prime ,Minister and his. party went .to'the Rangiotu site, and were surprised , to' find it. perfectly dry, perhaps in bet- . ter order than any of the. otlier sit'esi The camping ground had never beoni • under .-water, apparently, : although' on ■' some of the laud tys side of it a- good: • deal of water was-still lying.. The camp site is. on-light sandy formation, .very, porous, and perfectly! drained; , Tne site at Eangiotu has not-beeu . abandoned, and the men will be sent a day,, or two. Meantime a 'water, supply, is being led in, and a railway siding is b&< ing laid.
inspection by Ministers, 'A'visit of inspection of the troops at : Waikanae, Levin, and Awapum .was' made yesterday -by the Prime Minister and'the" Minister, for Public Health, the Hon.:H. H. Rhodes, who left Wellington by special train at 9 o'clock in/the morning. Several members of the House of Representatives- accompanied the Ministers. . ■ • .. . The first/ halt was • mad* at Waikanae, :where 'there are nearly 500 men, and the camp.and the ,auarters o£ tho men who, have been* housed were inspected. No water was lying on the camp ground yesterday, but evidences of the heavy ram of, Satmv day wore not wanting, whilst.the.accumulation of mud had commenccd. Water had entered some of j the tents■ yesterday. The men had made the bfest of' their circumstances, and. were on the whole very cheerful. More men. who were in tents on Saturday were to be provided with good quarters last oveiimg. Tliis camp is only a, temporary one. A. better, site has been found ahout a mile arid a half away. This site was uspected yesterday,by the, PrmeMuiister who expressed himself well pleased with it It is on sandy, soil,-and possesses good natural drainage and a good water supply.' A. start to move the men to ■; this camp may.be.made to-day. • • The other section of the_ Seventh Keia. • forcements were inspected in; their tern- . twrary. quarters in the . large 'Tmblio - and the Drill Hall .tevin These ' men number about Mo, ■ ana ■ about a hundred of these are accommodated ift"' the Drill ' Hall. Excellent commissariat arrangements have been mado here, the Town Hall being set apart for the purpose." The'men, who were divided into ' three . relays, were : seen ■at lunch time yesterday. These men will be taken, back to Waikanae after the now canip is prepared.
The Men at Awapuni. On tho way from Levin to Awapuni a pood,opportunity was afforded of witnessing the effects of the heavy rainfall at Awapuni. The Prime Minister and party visited tho troops at the racocourso .and tho Show Grounds; and they jjsoressed themselves well satisfied- with
the arrangements made for the quarteriiiK of tho men in the various buildings. The lUGii iii all cases wero very/cheerful, and in most oases quit© jolly. ' • Provision for the Sick. , "At each place visited by the Minis- .., tonal, party sick soldiers were visitcd. At Ylaikanao thero..is;only ono mild case of measles and about: fifteen' cases of influenza, and colds. Tlieso patients are in charge . of two nurses, and are progressing favourably. At ■ Levin there werefivo. cases of measles, .mostly of . a mild typo, and one case of 11 '° uc ?? za - These comfort- • S»l accommodated in. a small hall. ; rhere are a few cases of sickness also at, Awapuni. . Tho 'hospital' arrange- ' inents mado in all cases aro giving satis- • ■ . faction. " j: Spirit of. Cheerfulness. . The general spirit pervading the troops is'ono of great cheerfulness. Tho from Trontham appears to bo generally - appreciated, although somo' ■men miss:the dry huts and other conveniences, which tlioy had-to leave belinid them thero. The Prime Minister, in afterwards commenting on what he had seen during , G his pleasure at the cheerfulness of the'men and tho arrangements mado in tho various districts for their comfort ruider tho try- : inc .circumstances: . The. Primo Minister received a Very cordial reception from the men at tho ~ various ■,places . visited, hearty cheors being: given for him at each :of the camps. * Tho party returned to .Wellington lato in tho afternoon,.
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Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2511, 12 July 1915, Page 6
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1,005THE NEW CAMPS Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2511, 12 July 1915, Page 6
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