THE TERRITORIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 284, 28 May 1912, Page 3

THE TERRITORIALS.

CASUALS'. CAMP. The casuals went into camp at Waverly Racecourse on Friday last. Nineteen men proceeded from New Plymouth, but by the time the camping ground was reached the number had increased (including officers) to 120, squads being picked up at intermediate stations en route, also a number from towns south I of Waverley. The men arrived all more or less tired,, but nevertheless tliey did full justice to a hot meal, served up immediately upon their arrival, which I am certain they fully appreciated. The cuisine arrangements are perfect, and all the men in camp appreciate the new idea. It has previously been the custom for a caterer to supply the meals at so i much per head. Apparently this has not | proved successful, as the arrangements | are run on totally different lines. The Defence Department supplies all pro--1 visions, and has engaged,the services of ! a professional cook, who, with his assistants, cooks all food supplied to the mess tables. Two men are selected from each tent, and these act as men's orderlies. .Their first duty is to proceed to the quartermaster's tent each morning and 'obtain, the day's supplies. At stated hours, or rather at the sound of the bugle, these orderlies march to the cook- 1 house, where sufficient food is servedout' to them for each tent. Saturday was a fairly easy day, the • greater part of the morning being taken ; up by removing the tents to another j part of the coarse. Two tents were al-' lotted to each eight men, one for a living j tent, and one for a-mess tent. On Sun- j day all the ffiea were drawn up in their i respective ranks, -those of the Catholic religion being marched into the church | at Waverley, whilst the others Were lined '■ up on the course for. church parade, aj Presbyterian minister journeying from ] Waverley to conduct the service. The | men did not altogether fall in with this idea, many expecting to be marched into Waverley with the others and go to their own churches; j So far. no leave ,has been granted. On one of the officers being approached, his reason for refusing was that it was the Department's desire to run the camp on a proper basis.There were occasions, quite recently, he said, where Territorials, on leave being granted to them, had a strong inclination to resort to unsober conditions. It seems hard that the whole camp should suffer through the j indiscretions of a few men. Lieutenant-Colonel- Malone paid a visit of inspection to the. camp on Sunday, and expressed pleasure at the conditions prevailing. The ground, which, by the way, was not in a very satisfactory state on arrival, owiiig tp. the mounted infantry paving just broken,up camp, is dry- < ing up a little now, aiid if fine weather j continues the Territorials will at least i be able to compliment - themselves on j keeping their feet dry while on the march. All sorts of sports, are provided! for the men, and the Church of England. Men's Society have fitted up a magazine and- correspondence roqm for their convenience. • ■ Monday.—W&rk was commenced, in earnest this morninjg, and will continue throughout the week.. The orders drawn up by Captain Lampen are similar to those issued' at the previous camp at Hawera. At -the -tijne. of. writing, the weather is still' fine, and it is to 'be hoped that'it will continue so till after the camp. The nights are very cold, and here the "great,coats'.' (which were issued on Saturday) come in for some very useful work, other than that for which they are intended. I have just been inf<sStaed that out of a total of Blft men,compelled to attend camp, 760 have been accounted for, leaving a deficiency of 50. Of course there are a few men who have been exempted owing to medical unfitness, and I understand that the remainder of thefifty men who. have" not putin an appearance will be fined pretty heavily soon after the camp breaks up.