THE TERRITORIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 285, 24 April 1913, Page 5

THE TERRITORIALS.

Dannevirke. Last Night.

Another Territorial, Robert Read, of Carterton, suffering from abdominal trouble, was admitted to the hospital to-day. The other invalids are progressing favorably. General (Jodley will inspect the camp on Friday, on which day the break-up will commence.

PASSIVE RESISTERS.

Puhiatua, hast Night.

For fnilure to attend parades, two Pahiatna Territorials, at the Magistrate's Court to-day, were fined 20s and costs 7s, and another 10s and costs 7s. In each case an alternative of three days* imprisonment was imposed.

THE ORINGI CAMP.

(From Our Own Correspondent. J Oringi, Last Night. Perfect weather prevails at Oringi, ' and much good work of a practical nature has been put in. To-day the whole brigade marched to Dannevirke to accompaniment, on the return journeys of the strains of the regimental bands. It was an imposing spectacle, some 300(fe of the pick of the youth of the all in martial array being on march.} As far as the eye could see there waw nothing but uniformed fours of mexL sun-tanned Territorials, and such men-fl many of them blessed with magnificent physique. The length of the march may be gauged from the fact that it. toot 15 minutes for it to pass the review post. Considering the short time they hare been in camp and the fairly Tug percentage of raw recruits, they marched" in splendid style. The tramp was a longone, but the men were Allowed to match at ease, and they covered the' distance in good time. It was the first time the whole brigade took the field as one, and it served to give a good idea of the large scale on which continuous training operations are being carried out. ' Alarmist reports have been in circulation this week concerning the health of the men in camp, fatalities having been twice reported. These, however, are officially denied. The health of the is, as a matter of fact, remarkably~gt>oti," considering the number of the men under canvas.

Interviewed to-(lay, Major Cook, officer in charge of the Ambulance Corps-,.' gave an interesting resume of the work of this important unit of the camp, jls'was only to be expected, a large ninnWr of men have been reported sick eaoh'day, but the great majority of these cases arc of a very trivial nature, being con-' fined to colds, sprains and the like. Themajority of surreal cases-were- dufe-'t'o' sky-larking. Color was lent to the various rumors by a number of admissionsto the Dannevirke Hospital, and x number of men being invalided home: Thecamp hospital is, in reality, not a- hospital, being merely a receiving station in which the sick aiul niained cannot he confined for more than 24 hours. After that, according to the cam]) regulations, they nnist be sent away either bv theconsignment of the patients to the nearest hospital (Dannevirke) or by sending them home. This explains why, although a number of men have found their way into the Dannevirke Hospital, there havebeen no dangerous cases. Even then themore serious eases are practically all recurrences of old troubles. The utmost. , care and attention is bestowed on the health of the men, even to the inspection! ' of their feet by the regimental health' officers, before a long day's march. Of all the units of the brigade, theAmbulance, or Hospital Corps, is one of the most thoroughly equipped and efficient. It numbers I*2o men, and all its officers arc practical medical men, no person being allowed to hold a commission unless being a qualified medioat practitioner. Then, again, the dispensary is presided over by ii faiv'feized staff, many of whom are qualified dispensers. Those who are not are receiving special training in this particular branch' "of work.

The Field Ambulance Corps have already put in much solid practical work, traversing several miles of rough and hilly country in the course of the day. The corps' work is not merely theoretical, it being stalfed and maintained in such a state that it could be sent to the front at a moment's notice. The commanding officer speaks in high praise of the corps, stating that they had already done excellent work. If they had another week's training they would be perfect, and ready for the field. This unit of the brigade "might;easily be said to be the most attractive in the service to the Territorials, where brains and energy are concerned, and in many cases the week's training serves to give its members valuable training in their professions. MOUNTED RIFLE CAMP. The Mounted Rilles will go into eijmp at Oringi on May 5 next, by special train, which will leave'Waitara on May 4 at 2.30 p.m.. Inglewood at 3.30 p.m., and Stratford at 4.15 p.m.