ANNUAL TRAINING CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2637, 7 December 1915, Page 8

ANNUAL TRAINING CAMPS

SHOULD THEY BE HELD? The following resolution, passed by the Now Zealand Warehousemen's Association, was placed before the Wellington Chamber-of Commerce yesterday: "That whilst being thoroughly in sympathy with the Territorial training scheme, aiid wishing to assist the Now Zealand Government in every possible way, we feel that owing to' the continued serious depletion of our staffs it is only reasonable to ask the authorities whether they can see their way clear to discontinue, during the duration of the war, the annual training camps." In a covering letter the "chairman of the Warehousemen's Association (Mr ■I). A. Ewen) .said that he was writing at the request of the members in the liope that the Chamber of Commerco might be prevailed upon to head a deputation to the military authorities, to' ask if they could see their way clear to suspend, for the present at any rate the annual camps. The association was most willing to back the Government up m every way, and also to assist in encouraging their employees to enlist, but they found, in common with manyothers, that the depletion of the staff's was becoming a serious matter, and one difficult to. cope 'with.'" Mr. Ewen said that their men were going freely to the front, and their places were being taken, more or less satisfactorily, by If the juniors had to go into camp for animal training it would place business men at a great disadvantage. In the course of further discussion it was said that the number, .of men leaving was putting a greater- strain on tlioso remaining, and it was not thought altogether necessary to have the partial training camps. Mr. F. W. Manton said that lie did not think tlicy should be a party to approaching the Government with such a resolution. The disabilities of business men here were infinitesimal to the difficulties experienced at Home, and nothing should be done that would retard military training. chairman (Mr. J. Macintosh) thoughv that they should first ascertain whether it, was intended to go on with the camps. If the Government did intend to go on he did not thinTc they should do anything to stop tlie camps. Mr, Ewon admitted that tlin camps were good recruiting grounds for officers. He said that Colonel Gibbon had intimated that tie .Government had every intention of going on with the camps

It was decided to seo the Minister of Dcfeiice and ask what was the intention of the Government.