VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7226, 12 October 1901, Page 7

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

("Canterbury Times."*

The Auckland School Cadet Corps held a battalion parade recently. Fourteen schools were represented, the total number on parade being 505. The battalion was put through a number of complex movements, all of which were creditably executed.

The new magazine rifles have been received by the Rangiora Riiles. The new magazine .303 rifles have now arrived for the Ashburton ar.d North Otago

corps. The Defence Minister has given instructions that all concerned are to be notified of the fact that on and after Oct. 1 no exemption of duty for saddlery, etc., will be given under the Defence Act. The Ellesmere Giiards will go into camp for a week at Doylestoa on Oct. 14. Under the heading "Ammunition, Colonel Pole Penton, in his annual report on the defences of the colony, says, "the .303 supplied by the Colonial Ammunition Company is good, and has given no cause for complaint." This, coming from the head of the New Zealand Volunteer Forces, is excellent praise for the New Zealand manufacture. The corps of cadets which has been raised in Palmerston North has been named the "Queen Alexandra Cadets." A drum and fife band is to be established in connection with the corps. . An agitation is on foot in Timaru to have the local drillshed lined and floored, lac sum necessary to effect the improvements is estimated at about £500. It is pointed out

that if tho shed were lined and floored, it would probably be a source of considerable revenue, as the largest hall in the town at present is too small for some requirements ' Military inventions and methods r.rc making headway in Italy, although there is little fuss made, and almost no "advertisement," so 'that the outside world abroad is almost unaware of any progress. Fcr instance, just in tihese days some very exceptionally interesting experiments have been tried at the, Tor di Quinto, just out of Rome, where the military shooting-butts are situated. Signor Ernesto Benedetti has invented a " protector " against bullet.*, the experiments with which have been so satisfactory that the Minister of War will acquire die invention, and introduce it at once into the Army as a means of defence in case of war. The experiment was tried of shooting a revolver at the " protector " at a distance of six feet, and a rifle, model of ISOI, supposed ; to have the greatest penetrating power of any in Europe, as it will pierce steel plates of seven and even ten millimetres thickness, at 162 ft to 325 ft, m\'l from 650 ft to 975 ft distance, the result being that the bullets were- repelled in the most marvellous way, not«-making the least impression on the target. Bottles and glasses of water were then balanced on the top, but the water did not move, perceptibly at least, when tho bullet struck, proving conclusively that tliere is no lacking or vibration Signer Benedetti is most jubilant over the success of his invention and not only predicts great things for it in war-time, but also invites discussion, particularly criticism, which, latter lie declares himself more than ready to controvert.