WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

EFFECT OF ARMISTICE ON TRAINING CAMPS. (Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Nov, <>. Germany an armistice during the next few weeks, tihe Dafence authorities may face a certain amount of embarrassment at the training camps. There are some 12,000 men in the camps at the present time and already there have been indications that an announcement of peace would make the maintenance of discipline difficult. The spirit of the men certainly would run very high ttnd many of them would ie in a, hurry to get home.

The Minister for Defence stated today that he did not attach importance to rumors on this point. He was sirre that the men would continue to play the game till the end. The Defence Department, of course, would have no object in holding any man a day longer than was necessary, and when peace came the men in the training camps would be replaced as quickly as possible. But a little delay might be unavoidable in the interests of the men as well as of the Department, It is not certain that there will be 12,000 men in the camps when the declaration of peace comes. Tfte Government, according to lobby gossip, has already asked the Imperial authorities by cable if they want additional drafts to leave New Zealand. If the war is going to end during the next six months, then there is no need to despatch further reinforcements. An announcement on thk subject in tsbe House is one of the possibilities of the near future.