LIVERPOOL MILITARY CAMP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1728, 21 June 1917, Page 4

LIVERPOOL MILITARY CAMP.

Writing of his visit to Sydney and the Liverpool Camp, an officer of a recent Reinforcement says: —“The Liverpool Camp is supposed to be the biggest in Australia, but it is nothing compared to Feathcrston or Trentham. I'm (irmly convinced of one thing, and that is that we’ve got nothing to learn from Australia in the way of camp construction. The huts, roads, institutes, dining halls, stores, etc. —all are infinitely better in New Zealand. In fact, there’s only one thing that we have got to learn in that line, and that is to steer clear of red tape, which they do very effectively over here. Not wishing to be unkind, the only remark I will apply to the discipline in this part of the world is ‘rough.’ Everything seems to be done with the idea of conciliating the men. Leave is granted to all men not on duty from 4 o’clock every evening—most of them returning to camp by the 11.33 (from town) train, and also week-end leave from Saturday midday. The result is that the camp is nearly always empty, and undoubtedly it must have a bad effect on training. Our boys have been put on their mettle, and I must say they have come through the ordeal with Hying colours. . . . The Guard of Honour (100 all told) for the Governor on his inspection was great, no man under six feet and the pick of the Reinforcement. The inspection went off very well, and v/e were complimented on our appearance. . . . Within a few

miles of the camp where we-were passing our time is the big internment camp for Germans. It is really a great place, and the Huns have a great time. The whole place is enclosed with a net-work of barbed wire, and the six or seven thousand inmates arc closely guarded by a strong line of sentries, while perched in prominent positions are searchlights and a machine-gun. . . The camps are open to civilians at all times, and the result is that up to all hours of the night you sec men, women, and even girls, wandering about the grounds. Hawkers are allowed to sell their goods even on the parade grounds, and many of them were deeply hurt at their reception when they tried their capers in our lines.” .