THE CAMP AT HAWERA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 251, 23 April 1912, Page 4

THE CAMP AT HAWERA.

DISSATISFACTION WITH THE ! OUTSINE. HUNGRY TERRITORIALS PROTEST. By Telegraph— Special to News. Hawera, Last Night. In one respect, and in one respect only, has the camp given rise to dissatisfaction among the men, and that is in regard to the cuisine. Complaint, which has at times been forcibly expressed, nas had to do both with quantity and quality. Earlier in the camp, one of tho meals served up to the hungry troops was responsible for a very lively demonstration in the mess room. The climax was reached to-day at breakfast, when many of the men protested that the meat was bad, both to taste and smell, and scores of them left it untouched. On behalf of the men several officers handed in their chops to the mess orderly sergeant, who brought them under the notice of the camp health officer (Dr. Holme). The exact opinion of that officer is not ascertainable, but one effect of the men's representation was that he condemned the mess room (situated underneath the main grandstand) as unfit for the purpose of accommodating the men at meal times Accordingly tea to-night was partaken of al fresco at the rear of the mess room. As regards quality, the food at that meal was all right, but when it came to quantity, many of the men tell a different tale. Some allege that they got no meat and little or no pudding. One indignant company, forty or fifty strong, paraded in front of the officials, marching to the tune "We have had no pudding.' The 'officers at once promised to look into the matter. Indeed, all along the commanding officers have lent a ready ear to anything in the nature of a complaint. Apart from the cuisine it must be said that one finds no dissatisfaction, and the men are both happy and enthusiastic. A_ source of gratification is the general friendly spirit which exists between the officers and the men.