MILITARY MANOEUVRES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9069, 21 April 1908, Page 5

MILITARY MANOEUVRES.

WELLINGTON, April 20. The official verdict of the umpires is that the honours are with the attacking party in the military manoeuvres which closed to-day, that is to say that Wellington has fallen. So far as can be gathered from experts, the result of the operations is to show that Wellington could be successfully defended from Johusonviile against a raiding force if about 2.000 men were available. In this instance the defenders only had some 1,200 men to operate with, and they made the mistake |of covering too wide an area, the result being that their chain of posts contained several weak links. In actual warfare more concentration would be desirable. On this occasion the victory rested with the "Blues." The raiding force, through the night, marched via Ngahauranga to Wellington. For that they deserve credit, but it could not have been successful had the Ngahauranga forts been properly manned. The manoeuvres are regarded by the experts as being highly educational, and tne energy, pluck and endurance displayed by the men, especially during the cold wet spell of weather, deserve the highest commendation. All ranks concluded the proceedings with a feeling that on the whole they had had a good time, and that their sum of experience had been largely increased. In a word, the Easter manoeuvres were a success. Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop, officer commanding, has issued the following general order:—"The Director of Manoeuvres, in deciding to conclude the movement, wishes to express his pleasure at the work and the result cf the manoeuvres, started under the severest weather conditions. ..Cheerfulness, the attribute of all good soldiers, wa9 always manifest. The work done by both sides was creditable, and shows a marked advance along the road to efficiency. The training that was initiated found its elimination in manoeuvres under war conditions inseparable from true manoeuvres. He wishes the troops a safe passage to their homes, and a return to other such fixtures in the future."