THE MARAEKEKE CAMP

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10591, 25 March 1912, Page 5

THE MARAEKEKE CAMP

A SCENE OF ENTHUSIASM.

SPIjKNDID TRIBUTE TO THE

OFFICERS.

(Specially contributed to the ".Age.")

The foes of compulsory military training would have received a rude shock had they been present at the camjp of the 2nd Battalion the 9th Regiment, at Marakeke, on -Saturday night. The hard week's work was over; the boys had had their first, taste of military discipline under the scheme, and hadi put in some very vigorous training and a week of ab- • solute restraint. 1,,, Satufclay evening, ,B.aw..the end of the bard work, and the . ■ fcoys wore off tlie,chain. . This was the; timeto see : what, effect' had be«kVprb-i' duced oi> their ihm'ds. . The lads "'evidence'of what they thought of oom".pylsory enca/mipments in' a manner ""tfhfth for evei 1 <sve'tlie lie to "those who had preached that the scheme was distasteful to those who have to come under its influence. Never in the history of soldiering was such a .scene. witnessed as took place ■at lftarakeh& on.; Saturday nightt-Af-ter tea on .Saturday the boys oif'Hbe 2nd Battalion asEelnbled of their own accord, and marched, to the officers' uness marquee. A jion-oom missioned - officer stepped to the door and politely asked if they could see Major Charters. No sooner had ho appeared than. lie was whisked from the ground by a dozen sturdy arms, and carried shoulder "high, the rest of the battalion yelling itself hoarse ini an outburst of enthusiasm which nothing -could silence. Forming in perfect or-' <ler ,t3ie procession of hundreds of j Ijoys eseoi.ted their popular C.C. to a,i bos outside the Quartermaster's mar- - quee. Here he was greeted witli- a j reception; which will be long remembered by those who witnessed it-, and ■ one which wia®, a general expression " of the, ability-arid thoroughness of ,-the 1 Major. Jt was' a.psychological moment, and Major Charters seized it, and the effect was magical. The em"thusiasm of the boys rose with every •. word that tf&s uttered; and the manner in whioli they received the Major's Speech was extremely gratifying to these who had undertaken the arduous work of making disciplined men out of untrained lads. One after an- j other the officers of the various companies, the <iafl sergeant majors and cooks, were sought out, shouldered, «nd "boxod." uwtil the boys had ex-, pressed their gratitude to. everyone who had been responsible for their " training, and who had ministered to : their comfort.