THE MILITARY CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2634, 3 December 1915, Page 6

THE MILITARY CAMPS

NEWS AND NOTES THE TUNNELLERS ENTERTAINED. The following note appeared in camp' orders at Trentham on Wednesday:—"lt is notified for general information that where officers and n.c.o.'s are dispatched from England to Netv Zealand, or returned to England, or officers «nd members of the Expeditionary Force are invalided from the United Kingdom to the Dominion, passages by direct steamer only will be granted and l direct passage money only will bo chargeable against Departmental funds. The above is published in the event of officers or members of the Expeditionary Force being hereafter invalided to England and subsequently to the Dominion." Captain D. G. Smith, of the machinegun section, has reported at Trentham for duty. Sorgt.-Major J. Gendall, New Zealand Field Artillery, 9th Reinforcements, has been' appointed 2nd lieutenant on probation at Trentham.

At Trentham jtlie following temporary appointments havo been made: —

■ New Zealand Field Artillery, 9th Reinforcements.—Sergt. Lees, to be battery sergeant-major; Corpl. Dawson, to be sergeant. ■

At Tauherenikau, the following temporary appointments have been made: — Corpl. 1 liong, A Squadron, 9th, to be sergeant; Corpl. Forsyth, A Squadron, Sth, to be sergeant; Pte. Ruffles, A Squadron, 9th, to be farrier-sergpant; I't-e. Stewart, A Squadron, 9th, to bo shooing smith corporal; Pte. Nelson, A Squadron, 9th, to.be shoeing smith corporal; Pte. (Jorrigau, A Squadron, 9th, to bo farrier-corporal; Pte. RobinBon, A Squadron, 9th, to be farriercorporal; Pte. Norris, A Squadron, 9th, tii be corporal; Pte. Parr, A Squadron, 9th, to be Corporal; l'tc. Galloway, A Squadron, 9th, to be corporal; Pte. Boyd, A Squadron, 9th, to bo corporal J Pte. Luxton, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Wright, A Squadron, 9th, to bo lance-corporal; Pte. Peters, A Squadron, 9th, to bo lancecorporal; Pte. Aslin, A Squadron, Oth, to oe lance-corporal; Pte. Johnston, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Douglas, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Bennett, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Gunson, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Grey, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Curham, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. King, A Squadron,' 9th, to bo lance-corporal; Pte. Cameron, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Harris, A Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Bilke.v, A Squadron, 9th, to bo lance-corporal; Pte. Stronaeh, D Squadron, 9th, to be lance-cor-poral; Pte. Fullerton-Smith, D Squadron, _ 9tli, to bo lance-corporal; Pte. M'Lister, D Squadron, 9th, to be lancecorporal; Pte. M'Quarrie, D Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Mitchell, D Squadron, 9th, to be lance-corporal; Pte. Thompson, !) Squadron. 9th, to bo lance-corporal; Pte. Armitage-M'El-waine, D Squadron, 9th, to be lancecorporal; Lance-Corpl. Fothergill, D Squadron, 9th, to bo corporal; Pte. Biggar, D Squadron, 9th, to be farrier'; P.te. Stevenson, D Squadron, 9th, to b'e farrier; Pte. Maitin, D Squadron, 9th, to be farrier, corporal; Pte. Bush, D Squadron, 9th, to be saddler; LanceCorpl. MacDowall, N.Z.V.0., to be corporal; Farrier Marshall, N.Z.V.C., to be farrier-corporal; Farrier Brooker, N.Z.V.C.. to_ bo farrier-corporal; Pte. Heron, N.Z.V.C., to be lance-corporal; Pte. Langley, Army Pay Corps,' to be ■sergeant; Corpl. Blennerhassett, Headquarters Staff, Camp Commandant's Office, to be sergeant; Corpl. Leith, Headquarters Staff, Camp Commandant't Office, to be sergeant.

The" following additional temporary appointments have been made at TrentlianiCorpl. Craig (N.Z.M.C.), to be sergeant; Corpl. Clifford (N.Z.M.C.), to bo sergeant; Pte. Thomson (N.Z.M.C.), to be sergeant-dispenser;' Pte. Trim (N.Z.M.C.), to be corporal. Major John Craig, N.Z.M.C., Reserve of Officers, is to be actively employed' as a camp medical officer at Tauherenikau. Captain Roderick Mackenzie Gunn, N.Z.M.C., has been granted tlie rank of major, while employed as a camp medical officer at Tauherenikau.

A farewell dinner to the officers of the New Zealand Engineers and Tunnelling Corps was tendered by the officers of the Public Works Department in Auckland on Monday evening. Mr. R. W. Holmes, who presided, said that civil engineers had come forward with other professions, and of the 7000 members of the Institute of Civil Engineers, 1-500 were now serving in the Royal Engineers and Royal Navy. Of the 86 engineers on the New Zealand Public Works staff, 19 were over age and 27 had joined the forces, and of the 66 draughtsmen 10 were over age and 13 had joined tho forces. It had been stated that men were marrying and were sheltering behind that plea, and tlhat a teettain stigma would attach to the 1915 brides. In regard to that he would like to point out that the married men were 1 well represented among the Tunnelling Corps officers, and that two would leave 1915 brides behind them. In conclusion, he said that New Zealand civil engineers in times of peace had made their marks in other countries, and ho was sure the Tunnelling Engineers would also make their mark while abroad 1 .

Some indignation has been felt by members of the camp headquarters staffs at the statements which have , been made to tlie effect that there are a number of fit men among them who are shirking active duty under tlie excuse of being engaged in Defence Office clerical work. It has been pointed out that there is not . one fit man on these staffs who will not eventually proceed to the front. In the Records Office at Trentham it is stated that. there is not one clerk. employed who is fit for active service. There are three returned soldiers, two of whom were wounded and one Tendered unfit by illness. ■ With tho increasing amount of, clerical work, the need for more clerks has .. been felt, and.it has frequently happened that recruits who were rejected by the camp doctors were offered work in the Records Office. Every man in the office has expressed his desire to. go to the front. In the commandant's office the greater number of tho men belong to various faces and are undergoing their clerical training before they leave. There are always five distinct staffs in training in the camps. These are the Headquarters Divisional Staff, and the company clerks for the Mounted Infantry, Artillery, Infantry, and Rifle Brigade Staffs. The desire of all these men is t.) get away as soon as possible, and in order to get away sooner they frequently make application for transfers. There are also some medically unfit men in the office. Under theso circumstances the men consider that the references made to them are quite unwarranted.