New Zealand.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 90, 17 August 1915, Page 5

New Zealand.

THE MILITARY HOSPITALS.

Per Prk*s Association. Wellington. August 16.

The following information has been received concerning sickness in the various military hospitals, as at nopu to-day:— Palmerston North.—No serious cases ; total number of cases 42. IrVaikanae.—ll convalescent cases. Jta>warra- S discharged; none remaining. Wellington.—s serious oasos, all doing well; total cases 37. Trentham,--87 cases. Upper Hutfc.—ll cases ;. #! 1 the serious cases are improving, with the exception of 3, in which the condition is unchanged, one being dangerously ill. •

The period originally allowed the Trentham Camp Commission for the presentation of its report expired |oday. but the document has not yet reached the hands of the It is understod that the commissioners have applied for a short extension. of time. The report is likely to be completed by the end of the week, atid it may be placed before Parliament either on Friday or Tuesday next.

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE BRIGADE.

Wellington, August 16

With the Trentham Regiment and the two new battalions which have just been accepted by the Imperial Government, it has been decided to form a rifle brigade, to he called the Tre»tham Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool’s Own). The Trentham Regiment will form the First and Second Battalion, and the two new battalions (just accepted) the Third and Fourth Battalions. When the two battalions join their comrades New Zealand will thus have two full infantry brigades at the front, the First Brigade being composed of the Auckland, Wellington. | Canterbury, and Otago Battalions, and the Second Brigade as already outlined. Th distinction between the rifle brigade and an ordinary infantry brigade is, in reality, very little. Members of the rifle brigade “wear black buttons instead of brass ones, and on ceremonial occasions carry their amp at the .trail, instead of at the slope.

New Zealand, in her territorial force, has only one rifle regiment—-f Jib 11th Regiment (Taranaki Rifles). ;•

NATIONAL RESERVE RALt^.

Palmerston N., August Ifl:

’ A most enthusiastic rally of the Palmerston branch of the National serve was held here this evening. The principal speakers were Sir Ward and Dr. R. McNah. the rally a large procession, numbering about a thousand members of the reserve, marched round the squ^Y^. Sir Joseph Ward, in the his ’addresis’, .Nnirgei^fW more men. He said that ‘in the yftbr 1911 the total male population of' Zealand, between the ages bf 20 and 40, was 193,254, and ,110,000 were single. If necessary, over 000 were still available for servicp. He also stated that: 72,000 unmarried women in New Zealand were; ready to take the places of those who had gone, and would go, to the front. The speaker stressed the fact that he had received several letters referring, to the good conduct of our troops abroad. He said that premature peace would bo a catastrophe, which Germany would count as a victory His opimoii was that peace should never be given ; the war was drawing us fifty years closer to our kith and kin of :the Old Country. ' V

Dr. McNab, on rising to speak, was cheered for fully three minutes. , He said that his inclinations !were to. travel the country, doing what he could to induce men to join the colors, but he had been recalled to take a., seat in the National Cabinet. Speaking, of the war, he said that, not only were we fighting the army of a greater country, but a greater country armed, and only now people were realising the fact. „: .v