THE PANGS OF HUNGER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2755, 9 March 1910, Page 7

THE PANGS OF HUNGER.

CADETS’ FARE AT WELLINGTON.

BITTER NEW PLYMOUTH COMPLAINT.

“Oh you heads of the Department Do you think you would have endured all those four days of hunger, drill, and damp, and come home with a song, white-faced, -but plucky to the last, asks the -mother of a Taranaki cadet (Mr Baylv), writing to the “New Zealand Times,” under the heading, “How the Cadets were Starved at the Wellington Kitchener Encampment. “I doubt -it,” continues the writer: “but, of course, you would have had your flasks to keep up your courage with! My heart (and I’m sure the hearts of all the parents do) fills with pride to think that our boys can endure hardships so -pluckily; but to say that my blood boils with indignation at those responsible for those hardships is to put it very mildly. A lot is written in the papers nowadays about encouraging volunteers and cadeting but it this is the way it is done, I don t think there will be many recruits. It will be many a long da.v before we motheis here in Taranaki let our boys go to another encampment. “I am writing about the Taranaki hoys • I don’t know whether all other places fared as badly. They left here at 7 o’clock on Wednesday morning, providing their own lunch on the train. They arrived late at- night at the Hutt. had to march a mile or more, carrying heavy swags, to the camp; found things all upside down there, j and finally went to their shakedowns of straw without a mouthful of supper or tea after that long day—and most of them little chaps of 10 and 12. away from home for the first time. “Well, that alone seems hard treatment hut- in the morning there was no breakfast—a few hits of dry bread ; not a mug of tea even ! Then, drill, drill plenty of that—and no dinner; lust a few odd biscuits and a bit of bread. What soldiers in actual warfare may sometimes have to endure, those pom little chaps were called on to put up with —and they did it cheerfully, to their credit be' it said. At nightfall they actually -were treated to a meal of a sort —weak tea and bread, with a little butter to the lucky ones. During the night- rain came do-wn in. torrents, and the boys woke up to find themselves lying in several inches of water! “The boys were crammed together in tents-that were only meant to put up half their number. Then the water poured in. “On the eventful Friday they were up at drill at 6.30, wet through, and wet through they remained all day. That morning they had a light, a vep light breakfast, but no dinner. All the afternoon, as you read in the papers, they paraded, -marching and running through the mud (and anyone who knows the Hutt mud will appreciate what- hard work it was!) soaked to the slcin and on empty stomachs. Boys fell down fainting, and had to bo carried away—what wonder ! That night, wonderful to relate, they had a little meat for tea, the only -meat they had during their visit ! After the review they worked hard at- clearing up the mess in camp—in the mud —and were marched', carrying their swags, to the Drill Shed. On Saturday morning thev wore up at 4 o’clock tidying up and packing their swags, and without a mouthful of food or drink were marched off to the station to go north and home in a train leaving at 6 o mock. At Jolinsonville I believe the officers in charge left wires to be sent on up the - line asking that refreshments be waiting, but when starving and thirsty they got to the station, nothing was there; a few biscuits were got, and that was all those heroic little boys had till they got to their homes in. Taranaki, the New Plymouth ones reaching their journey’s end at 9 p.m.; and yet they raised a. song as they steamed into the station 1”