THE TERRITORIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 248, 19 April 1912, Page 5

THE TERRITORIALS.

MISSING CADETS.' By Cable—J?ress Association—Corn-right Melbourne, April 18. There are still 14,000 boys who attained the age of fourteen in the present year unregistered for compulsory training. TAKING TIME BY THE FORELOCK. Sydney, April 18. Since the imposition of a £,IOO fine on the parent who objected to his son enrolling, a very large number of cadets, Who were previously prevented by their parents, have enrolled. THE CAMP AT HAWERA. By Telegraph— Special to News. Hawera, Last Night. Everything bodes well for the Territorial camp of the Taranaki Regiment, which was commenced on Wednesday afternoon on the Hawera racecourse. So j far all has gone off with a swin-*. The I weather is perfect, and, what Is still more satisfactory, a spirit of sweet content seems to prevail throughout the whole encampment. Objections or personal feeling—for .there were not a few who were loth to give up eight or nine days to military training—that existed prior to Wednesday have apparently completely ceased. Once the young fellows were actually under canvas the day's experience of work—but "work" is a misnomer, for it-is not all toilhas sufficed, with the result that a great number look upon it as an unsolicited holiday and a welcome respite from work. The esprit do corps amongst these soldiers in the making" is -Tenthcontributing both to the enjoyment ami profit of training. Apart from ;'m n-m-il small leaven of unwonted levi-v ■-f( ( . r "lights out," the discipline h excellent, and this is quite surprising when it is remembered that there is a hi" percentage of raw material for the instructors to handle. That the camp is beinrr run on up-to-date yet strictly military" Jines is much m evidence, and so far the general health of the men leav»s nothin" to be desired. This is large.lv due. to the excellent sanitation arrangements In all some 600 men are in camp. New Plymouth is strongly represented by the A and B companies of the Taranaki Rifles, under Captain Fletcher and Lieut Boon respectively. The balance of the troops has been drawn from far and near, some of them having come all the way from Waimarino, while a fair percentage have their habitation in the back-blocks. Colonel Mai one is officer commanding the camp, and associated with him are Brigade-Major Hamilton and Captain Lnmpen. Adjutant for the Taranaki district. The Territorials are leading a fairly strenuous life, but the varied nature of the work has had the effect of making them less susceptible to fatigue. They ri ae anmlt 6<n a])d a course of physical drill is undergone before breakfast. Dinner is again preceded J n- from two to three hours' drill, which I includes several new and interesting fea- I hires.. The drill in camp does not mere-j ly mean the execution -of military manoeuvres and squadron work. As far

as is practicable the men are being taught to be all-round soldiers, and to I vise their heads as well as their limbs, i Two hours are allowed off for dinner i which i* followed by about another two | hours' drill, after which the men are free for the rest <j|fthe day. As far| as training is concerned ample provision I is being made for the amusement of all hands, both intellectually and otherwise Visitors' day has not yet been definitely fixed, and arrangements may possibly be made to run a special train through from Nc W PlTmouth on that j,^;^ This camp is the first, as far as New Ilymouth and other Tnrnnaki towns ate concerned, since the coming into operation of the new Defence Act. It must, therefore, be largely considered as -m experiment, and. taking all thincs into consideration it is not over-streterr>i« I the mark to -ay that it is an unqualified success Mention must be mixln 0 f M,,. comnleteness of the arrangements as f:<r as the transport of companies from th-ir respective districts to the cammr,? ground is concerned. Tt is also gratifying to note that as far as is known the conduct of the troops nn both the mail and special tra'ns wns quite exemplary. Much additional equipment has bepn dis- i tributed, some of it being entirely npv in design, including the new shin 0 f belt and haversack (with accommodation for carrying ammunition), overcoats, blankets, water bottles, etc, the whole forming a very complete outfit.