CAMP JOTTINGS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 17, 20 October 1939, Page 4

CAMP JOTTINGS

Concert Parties Major J. M. Stewart, a padre attached to Headquarters at Trentham, is representing the Presbyterian, Methodist, Church Army, and several other denominations in the meantime. He is anxious to arrange for concert parties to attend the camp and would be glad to hear from anyone interested. Entertaining The Men Men in camp are not lacking in entertainment during the evening. There ere pictures three nights a week at Trentham-on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, arranged by the Y.M.C.A. The Salvation Army has a marquee, and other Church denominations are rapidly organising marquees for the entertainment of the troops. Big business is reported by the canteen, which is doing unprecedented trade in cigarettes, soft drinks, chocolate, toothbrushes, and anything. else the soldier wants. "We’ll stock whatever the men want," is the slogan of those in charge. A Salvation Army social. centre has been opened in Wellington. Trentham’s Mascot Trentham already has its mascotMajor, a bull terrier. He appeared on parade last Sunday, when Colonel E. Puttick, D.S.O,, was present. This parade was the first march past of the men of the volunteer army, and the Colonel expressed his pleasure at the smart behaviour and appearance of the men. So far there have been no complaints, either from the men or the officers. Food By The Ton Mountainous quantities of food disappear each day in the military camps. In the mass it looks imposing and sufficient for a small town. Taking Trentham as an example, here are some of the daily quantities: — Bread-2,250 Ibs.; meat, 2,700 Ibs.; jam, 450 Ibs.; fresh vegetables, 900 Ibs.; potatoes, 1,800 Ibs.; tea, 37 Ibs.; butter, 450 Ibs.; and milk, 1,350 pints. Burnham and Ngaruawahia are both taking almost the same amounts. Free Racing Men in uniform are to enjoy the hospitality of the racing clubs, and will be admitted free to the courses. No Dirt Cleanliness is a fetish, almost, in the military camps. Cookhouses, particularly, must be kept spotiess. Each cook is issued with three white suits; butter muslin must cover the milk containers when the lids are removed; there are special boards to be used only for pastry-making arid others on which the meat is cut. The. cooks themselves must attend to their personal cleanliness, even to keeping their nails free from dirt.

Ministery Tour The Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, will pay a visit to the military camps at Burnham, ‘Trentham, and Ngaruawahia, and the various Air Force camps as soon as he can conveniently do so. A Big Job Equipping the men with their uniforms was a big job for the Quartermasters in the various camps. At Trentham ‘they were put through at the rate of 75 to 100 an hour. Equipment for the new army has been increased since the Great, War. Each man now receives two pairs of boots and three pairs of sox. The boots, by the way, are a far better quality than the " Bill Masseys" worn by the 1914-18 soldiers. A bootmaker’s shop and a tailor’s shop are both functioning, and the men may have their uniforms altered if they de not fit correctly.