during the Convening of Parliament ceremony.

A military investigation will decide whether the young members of Training Company deserve punishment for collapsing during yesterday's unusually hot weather.

Soldiers stood in the sun on the Cabinet Building lawn for almost an hour, with the temperature around 78 degrees and humidity about 65 percent.

Spectators gasped as one by one, the trio crumpled to the grass. At least one hit the ground on his face.

Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Allan Rance, said: "Normally, the company commander would investigate the circumstances and determine whether or not the man ought to be placed on charge.

"If the commander is happy that the man fainted due to a circumstance beyond the man's control then charges are normally waived.

"But if the man fainted on parade through circumstances that were within his control, such as not having a decent breakfast, not properly relieving himself, or not carrying out one of the precautions we have advised him to take, he would be expected to suffer some sort of punishment.'' Small fines were not unheard of, said Lt. Col. Rance. But extra drill was a more likely sentence because of the recession.

"It's not a big deal,'' he said. "It's not a serious offence.

"On mornings like yesterday, it's not surprising. It was very warm and it was quite a long speech. Those factors are taken into account.''