Military training ideas

Soldiers and their war brides and babies disembarking from the `Ruapehu' at Wellington. - Otago...
Soldiers and their war brides and babies disembarking from the `Ruapehu' at Wellington. - Otago Witness, 5.3.1919.
Sir James Allen, acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said in Dunedin in the new scheme for defence his object was not to create a military organisation.

He merely wished to have the system sufficiently organised militarily to bring into existence a defensive force for use should it be required at any time, and to keep a sufficient staff for the training of men for defensive purposes. But the other object, which became prominent now, was the creation of physically sound men.

It had been discovered by experience during the war that a large percentage of men were physically unfit. Many of these could be made more fit for their ordinary civil avocations by physical drill and other practices which could be brought into operation in training camps.

His own opinion was that men should enter camp at 18 years of age, for four months' training, camps being established in the South Island as well as the North, to prevent southern men from having to travel to the North Island for their training.

Lodge membership growing

Some conception of the progress being made among lodges since the membership restrictions during the period of the war were removed may be gained by the numbers of young men seeking membership.

The Loyal Alexandra Lodge, M.U.I.O.O.F., Port Molyneux, admitted three candidates at the last meeting, held on Wednesday and 11 more will present themselves for initiation at next meeting.

Other lodges working under the Otago District of the M.U. are quick regaining their former strength of membership, which was considerably reduced by the deaths of soldier brethren.

The Port Molyneux Lodge's jubilee celebrations will be carried out in conjunction with the annual meeting of delegates from Otago district, to be held at Kaitangata on the 28th and 29th inst. Of the original members who founded the lodge 50 years ago, there is now only one survivor.

Early settler's death

An early settler died at his residence, Inchclutha, on Friday in the person of Mr Robert M'Kinlay. Mr M'Kinlay, sen., was in his eighty-fourth year, having been born at Helensburgh, Scotland, in 1835. He learned the trade of a carpenter, and on leaving his native village worked at his trade in Greenock.

He was married in 1859, and in the following year, with his wife and young child, sailed for New Zealand, landing at Port Chalmers in 1861. He took up a section of land at Port Molyneux, and remained there for 10 years.

Leaving Port Molyneux he went to reside at Clifton Villa, Inchclutha, where he followed the business of a building contractor and resided there until his death. The deceased took a great interest in church work and education, and for many years was an elder in the Presbyterian Church and a school committeeman at Stirling.

Hi wife predeceased him three years ago and he has left a grown-up family of seven sons and two daughters.

Diphtheria at Hampden

On Monday the children of the Hampden School were ''swabbed'' by Inspector Cameron and Drs Faris and Wilberforce, and an inspection of all the buildings is being made in the endeavour to eradicate the diphtheria epidemic that has for so long hampered Hampden.

Two diphtheria patients were admitted to the Oamaru Hospital from Hampden the Tuesday night, and one on Wednesday morning.

- ODT, 7.3.1919.

COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

 

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