TERRITORIAL CAMP.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5271, 7 May 1928, Page 3

TERRITORIAL CAMP.

. TERMINATION THIS MORNING. TRAINEES RETURN HOME. The casual camp for territorials of the first battalion, Hauraki Regiment, which has been held at the Racecourse Paeroa, was concluded this morning. At an early hour the men were astir, and shortly after.- 7 a.m. tne East Coalst men were paraded and left for the railway station, en route to their homes in the Bay of Plenty. Men for Te Arolia, Rotorua, Thames, and intermediate stations left Paeroa by tlie Thames express;, while die local trainees got away beforeJmidday. The officers ,anld n.c.o.’s have carried out a period of ten days’ training, the first three days being in the nature of ail instructional course, and the territorials have performed the required seven days’ training. The general opinion of the trainees is that they have thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and while during the actual hours of training they were “kept hard 'at it,” the hours of re'axation were pleasantly spent. The unpropitious weather yesterday completely hpset the day’s programme, and keen disappointment was freely expressed. The heavy rain prevented the public from availing themselves of the. opportunity to visit the camp, and the band educe# which was.- to have been held at the domain after church last night was also abandoned. During yesterday morning the trains ing syllabus was adhered to. Church parade ,was held at 11 o’clock, the services being conducted by Lieut.Colonel E. M. Cowie, V.D., chaplain, and the Rev. Father J. Taylor. Dur-, ing the afternoon an enjoyable, band concert, under the conductorship of Lieut. A. Clarke, was held in the Stewards’ Stand, and was much apprec'ated by those who were privileged to .attend. As the afternoon wore on the in-; tensity of the rain increased, and the camp commandant (Major E. A. Porritt, M.C.) deemed it advisable to re-, move the men from their tents for the -night- Accordingly, the territorials were paraded with their kits and bedding, and before dark every man was comfortably settled under an iron roof in one of the Jockey Club’s buildings. At .mid-day to-day the caimp bor.e a deserted appearance, only a small rear party to clean up the camp and pack stores remaining.

On Saturday night the territorials entertained a large number, of guests at a dance at the camp. The. rooms were attractively decorated, and the dance music was supplied, by the band and an orchestra.

The officers also entertained several returned officers, the May’or (Mr W. Marshall), and other prominent citizens to mess on Saturday night.

An example of how rumours spread was demonstrated in Ngatea on Saturday evening, when footballers generally were expressing sympathy with L. C, lotworthy, who, according to the rumour, had broken, his leg while playing against ’Waitakaruru. The truth of the matter was that a Maori n'amed "W. Grey dislocated a joint in his leg while using it to assist 'him to turn his motor-cycle round a corner -near Clotworthy’s..