DUNEDIN ENGINEERS.

ANNUAL REPORT. In submitting tho 25th and last, annual report of the No. 2 Company N.55.E.V. IDunidin Engineers) the committee claims that tho company lias mado a. certain amount -of progress during the past year, and it is of opinion that the efficiency of tho corps lias greatly increased. Tiicro are, however, several matters that have been dealt with by tho officers and N.C.O.'s with a view to creating greater efficiency in the how company, and these will be put before the members in due course. As February 28 saw the last of the Volunteer system in New Zealand,. it may bo of interest to give p. brief resume of tho Dunedir, Engineer Volunteers since their formation. • The corps was formed about April 23, 1885, but was not gazetted until April 30, thus allowing the Canterbury Engineers to become the senior Engineer Company in New Zealand by three days. Among those who started the company, was Major L. 0. Bcal, V.D. (who was chosen its first captain), Bugle-major Oliver—still in the corps —and many other well-known men in Duuedin. Tho number'of members allowed to be enrolled was 10; this was afterwards increased to 63; then to 84, and latterly tlio establishment was increased to 106. Tlio uniform of the corps has always cost a considerable amount of uioney on account of the excessive wear in camps, etc. It has for some years past consisted of the full dress (Royal Engineer pattern), with white helmet; bluo tunio, with white belts and frage- caps, and a. khaki drill, which has to a. largo extent only been used as an overall. The officers commanding tho corps have been—Captains L. 0. Beal, Georga Barclay, ami George D. Ross (at present In command), and white a good number of lieutenants have passed through the .company, those at present attached to the company aro Messrs A. Digby Smith, F J Williams, J. H. Scott, and E. Parker. Tho changes among tho N.C.O.'s and men have been \ery numerous, but at the present time the company can congratulate itself on having a very excellent stamp of man, and if these can see their way to continue on under the now system there is no doubt they will give a good backbone to a now corps. Tho work of tho Dunedin Engineers includes field engineering (with bridghV expedients) and demolitions, while the "telegraph scotion t devotes its time to telegraph and telephonic communications, and tho signalling section to signalling. This of course, is in addition to the ordinary infantry work, while the field engineering sections also go through a course of semaphore, and the telegraph section receives instruction in Morse signalling and in Buzzer reading. . On tho recommendation of Captain (now Major) Barclay, a junior Engineer corps was established on tho lßth March 1901,.anU this the present time is under the charge of Captain Fred Waite, who .has ,vil,h luni as lieutenants Messrs M'Hugh and M-Ncili. On accouut of tlio great .d.fheulty in getting instructors and stores tor the junior company, Held engineering and telegraph work was cut out of their programme and they confined' themselves to pliore), and at tlio present time they have a large number of very efficient members in his work As a result of the now com pufeory bill, however, it is expected that this company w,ll shortly be taken over by the .Defence Department and absorbed in the senior Cadet movement. .Theso are tho principal .features of injwat m the Dunedin-Engineers during the i J . c l ar l "'w existence, and there is no doubt that, with tho passing away 0 t e *»W a dechkd link of the past "broken and although ,t « in tho best interests of in- Dominion, a very large number of repete will accompany the "passing of the Volunteer. '° During the past year the work of tho company has bee„ probabl moM \£ ™ bits than that of any other- vear The number on the roll at the beginning 0 f the was prKWy reducc/to a£,u but thanks to the exertions ot members and Sapper Cuttle deserves special Si in tno direction), the numbers increased until they, were 80 who took part in Z annual tram.ng. in October. Otf February 3, 1910, Captain Ross, who has been in command of the company for the last seven years, qualified forthcVohluice: ■decoration I medal for 20 years'-service as an officer in-1 \olviilWers,-aiid.lie is therefore to be con- I fratiUated ■ m his' long term of' service I ■Mr Laoey also received his long-service I insda-l for 20 years' service, and-'durmg tiw year, was transferred to the district stall as signalling officer. Sapper Dean too, received his iong-wrvice medal for 16 years service in Volunteers.

lie annual presentation of prizes was held during, the year, and, as usual, .an interesting display was given, and greatly appreciated by. the large .Msdienre that was present in the Garrison Hall. In shooting the company lias shown a great improvement, awl.tho members, by constant practice and keen shooting, have, mad© such progress, that the corps can claim to hold its own in shooting with any other company. Last year the Engineers' team tied with the Kaitangata Rifles for first place in the Ladies' Challenge Shield Competition, but lost the shield on the tie, and they wcro also second' in the Otago Rifles Association's Teams Match.. .

.During the camp the company -was instructed by Captain J. E. Duigan.'instructor for engineering and signalling services, who had with him Staff -sergeant-majors Colbert and Grover, and there is no doubt a great difference was made in the training. On arrival of Field Marshal Lord Kitchener to Duncdin the company had the honour of acting as guard of honour at the Railway Station, and the public, commented freely on tho excellent manner in which the mombsrs carried out this duty. It rrioy also be of interest in passing" to mention that the Duncdin Engineers was Ihc only engineering company in New Zealand who had. tho honour of acting as guard of honour to Lord Kitchener, and they should congratulate themselves accordingly. Before closing, tho committee would like to congratulate Bugler-major Oliver on his long and honourable connection with the Duncdin Engineer A r oluntecrs, and hope that he will be long spared to'fight his battles over again, and tell of his long connection with the corns.

In conclusion, the committee wishes to thank the press for their courtcsv in publishing reports, etc., and all tlioso who havo taken an interest in the work of the corps. They hope that the fact of anyone having belonged to the company of the Duncdin. Engineers has been of some benefit to them, and that they.will always remember, and have a kindly feeling for old comrades for the "days of auM lang syne."