THE TERRITORIALS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11, 10 May 1912, Page 3

THE TERRITORIALS.

CAMP AT ASHBURTON. £Per Press Association. i Ashburton, May 9. The casual camp on the Ashburton A. and P. Show Grounds, in connection with the Territorials of the South Canterbury district, which) began or Thursday, May 2, will break up to morrow. Those taking part in the camp—about 200 infantry and 65 mounted men—wore unable to attend the Easter encampment at Orari vin dor Captain Andrews (Officer Com manding) and his lieutenants and staff-sergeant-majors. The men,'who were very raw. at,the commencement, havt liuule great improvement, and the period of training proved very useful. The encampment generally has bee; a .success. This afternoon the me: indulged in a varied programme cl military and athletic sports, which were witnessed by a considerable number of townspeople. Unfortunately, the meeting was late in the day, and was somewhat marred through Troopei McQueen, of Mayfield, being thrown From his horse, while competing in .. one of the events, and sustaining a fracture of the right leg. CAMP DRINKING. Christchurch, May 9. Arising out of allegations made regarding drunkenness at Territorial camps, the officers of the Christchurch Prohibition League have addressed the following letter to Mr A. M. Myers, Minister of Defence:—“We arc enclosing ii copy of a letter addressed i to General Godley, in which certain i facts are stated concerning drinking ; in connection with Territorial camps, i Wo have no reason to believe that j the condition of affairs prevailing at • the camps specified was afty worse than that obtaining at other camps. Indeed, knowing the officers, we have every reason to believe that they were extremely solicitous for the welfare of those under them. The fact of the matter is that the, camps should not Gave been placed in the proximity of hotels. When the Defence Bill was going through the House, your predecessor in office, as Defence Minister, promised definitely, in reply to Mr Newman, that no camp would be established within five miles of an hotel. We. think yon will agree with us that apart altogether from the moral aspect, from a military and disciplinary standpoint, this is necessary and desirable. In addition to this we wish to urge strongly this aspect of the question: That the camps arc compulsory and consist largely of more boys : that parents are compelled to send their sons for military training; and that under these conditions they have a right to expect that the utmost care will lie taken to preserve irom contamination tlieir sons, who arc at an ago at which few boys have learned fixed principles.” In the letter to General Godley, instances arc given of objectionable conduct on tho pert of Territorials at the Templeton and Rnngiora camps, due to drinking. r l b: letter concludes: “With regard to the camps with which wo are more closely associated, wo have brought no charges of extensive drunkenness, and we have recognised that on your own part, and on that of some of the commanding officers, there has been an earnest effort to stop all drinking, but out point is that so long as the sites of camps are chosen with disregard to tho promise made by tho late Minister of Defence that’ no camp would be hold in close proximity to licensed houses, it is impossible to prevent a certain amount of drinking. Now, as the Territorial camps, do not consist of volunteers, but of young lads whose parents are compelled by the law to send tlieir sons for military training, wo think we make no extreme demand i when wc urge that the promise re- | ferret! to shall bo rigidly fulfilled.”