MILITARY CAMPS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1926, Page 3

MILITARY CAMPS

(UY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.! AUCKLAND, July 29. The suggestion that the New Zealautl military forces should undergo a three months’ period of camp training each year instead of one week, as at present, was strongly criticised by the Council of Christian Congregations last evening. The Rev Dr H. Houston presided. Opening the discussion Rev D. C. Herron said that the question was really the “ stalking horse ” for a number of young men who had seen ,serve., in the Great War and who felt that something should be done to rouse public interest in the military policy of the Dominion. It was desirable that steps should be taken to counteract the propaganda designed to bring about an increase in the military forces in New Zealand, to lengthen the period of service, and worst of all, to send youths of eighteen years to camp for three months.

Colonel R. H. Potter, Officer Commanding the Northern Command bad stated that three months’ camp would set up boys physically and morally. In the majority of eases boys would benefit physically from the camps but in regard to morals, Mr Herron referred to the V.D. hospital at 1 renthani during the War. That was the effect of camp life on morals. A boy of eighteen was at the most critical stage of his life and to send him to camp for three months was not far short of a tragedy. During the late War the military outlook had been that the men, were not morally clean. The three deadly sins of camp life "ere doubtful stories, gambling and drunkenness. In the United Kingdom during the war it was expected that men on leave would he immoral and.steps had been taken to. counteract the possibility of men contracting disease. On these grounds alone the speaker condemned the proposal to establish lengthy training camps. , ’ It was finally decided that the framing of a. resolution opposing the three months’ camps and favouring voluntary as against compulsory, military training he left in the hands of the executive. Interviewed to-day Colonel Potter said that in regard to the morality of the camps it was quite unfair, to compare the conditions of the war camps with those of the present day. The war camps contained men whose ages ranged from 21 to 45 years, and whose habits had been formed before they ever put on their uniforms. On ~ the other hand the present day camps were held for young fellows between the no-es of 18 and 21 years. As regards the V D hospitals at Trentham he stated’that of the men treated at the hospital fully 75 per cent had been suffering from the disease before they went into camp. Those had been at once isolated.