MILITARY CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 26 July 1915, Page 6

MILITARY CAMPS

, MOVING OUT OF THE MUD .DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME- . During the week-end the Minister of Defence visited tho training camps' at Tauherinikau, Waikanae, and Rangiotu. He went to the Wairarapa camp on Saix iirday, and on Sunday a party of Ministers and members' went to tho other •camps by train'. The' members of the. party were the Prime Minister (tha Eight Hon. W. F. Massey), the Hon. J.Allen, the Hon. A. L. Herdman, Messrs.; D. Buick, E. P. Lee, H. Poland, L. M.Isitt, and A. E. Glover. Mr. Allen, in conversation with a' Dominion reporter last night, said ho had gone to Wairarapa to inspect a site for a new, more or less permanent, camp in tho neighbourhood of Featherston. He had had reports on tho site from a geologist, 'from a medical man, and from the Staff, and he had his own judgment about it, and they_ were all agreed that the site was suitable.The intention was to put_ 2500 men there, but the number might be increased to 3500. Nothing was settled about- it, however. Thero were other ' sites offering, and the question would have to' be determined as to which was tho most suitable, and within easiest communication with the base at Trentham. , - After that he had gone to Tauherinikau, where lie had .seen tho new camp to which tho men had moved. The ground first occupied had got very muddy, and the camp had been moved to more stony ground. AH the hospital arrangements were good. They had an adequate staff of . medical officers, three nurses, and a very good lot of orderlies. So far as he could learn tho men had no serious grievances. At Waikanae also the camp had been moved owing to mud, the new site being about a milo distant from tha old, and the officers and men were working well to get . things in order. Indeed, Mr. Allen remarked upon the improvement ho had noticed in the 7tli Reinforcements since they had gone to Waikanae. ..The hospital arrangements, at Waikanae, ho said, were good. . i At Rangiotu thero had been heavy 1 rain, until two days ago, and. parts of the camp were muddy. The wet part 3 were drying very rapidly, however/' Tho ground was in preparation for ai how camp', about a mile further up the lino. Tho camp was planned, a railway siding had been laid down, the water supply had' been fixed, and all the drains would, bo made befwe the tents were moved. It was intended to ercct mess-rooms for tho men at the new camp. ill - . Allen said that at Rangiotu as at the other places lie "had; found the men in very good spirit s v