Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1903. The Easter Encampment.

Manawatu Herald, 9 April 1903, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1903. The Easter Encampment.

To-night the Wanganui battalion of volunteers will arrive at the Poxton racecourse to encamp for the Easter holidays. It will be a matter of pleasure on the part of the inhabitants of this district to extend a cordial welcome to our citizen soldiers on this occasion. The people purposed to hold something similar to an afternoon to the troops, as instancing their desire to show the appreciation they held the men who gave up their holidays in order to perfect themselves in drill which enables the colony to maintain an independent attitude, the one of selfreliance, which was first adopted by the colony in the year 1868. However the best intentions get frustrated, and the. proposal to do that which was intended has fallen through from the utter inability of carrying it out. have many tradesmen in town, amongst whom are two established bakers, and the idea was to secure their services in preparing tempting cakes to go along with the tea. We have, however, found that the catering for the Wellington battalion for two or three days has t be done in addition to the Wanganui battalion, so that our supply of toothsome delicacies was cut off. The will was good but the execution was a failure

Owing to the serious drill which it is intended the volunteers shall carry out i has been found impossible to organise any other arrangement to take its place, and the residents would not desire to treat one battalion different from the other. We wish our visitors fine weather and a pleasant and useful time in camp, and we are assured that the Mayor and the public men of the town will be earnest to do anything which may tend to their pleasure.

It is the first time that such a gathering has been held in this district and we believe the general impression will be; after the encampment is over, that a better spot could not have been chosen.

The proposal of an attack on Foxton, across the Manawatu river opens up an ideal movement full of opportunities to test the capabilities of the scouts as wel’ a? mn-scd movements The river, wh lUldw-land, ran be crossed by ihe enemy anywhere they pleased, and as they have about* 15 or IQ miles of river to chooso from the work of the mounted men will bo no child’s play. The weather we hope will ho fine, but it is satisfactory to know-that the'camp is placed so advantageously that so water will be found lying on the surface. On Saturday we shall publish the movements decided on for Sunday and Monday.