VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 13, 16 January 1901, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

(By Rifleman.)

The Devonport Submarine Mining Volunteers go into camp at the North Shore to-morrow evening. The corps will parade at the Drill Hall at 7 p.m.

The. competition for Mr Thome's medals and Mr Kearsley's champion shield, presented to the Aka.ra.na Uifle Club, will be continued next Saturday afternoon at the club's range at Avondale.

At the last parade of the Taranaki Guards the company was taken outside and practised in field movements to the sound of the bugie. This is a mutter which might well receive mtore attention from volunteer corps generally.

The monthly inspection parade of the Seddon Horse will be held next Saturday afternoon in the Domain. A meeting of the corps will be held immediately after the parade for the election of a lieutenant and an honorary chaplain.

A dozen members of the Manchester (Feilclinjf) Rifles have already sent in their names to Captain Barltrop applying to be admitted to the Imperial Reserve, under the Defence Act Amendment Act, 1900.

It would be well if the Defence authorities would consider the matter of gazetting' the mounted battalions. The laxity hi this matter (remarks a Southern' paper) has already hud a deleterious effect upon many of the newer corps, and unless the gazetting is done quickly we may expect to see some of them going out altogether.

The Franklin Mounted Kifles will send two team* to the Auckland Mile Association's meeting- on January ii 6 and 2.), to be chosen from the following- twelve:—W. Hyde, A. Shaw, J. Colquhoun, A. AVhite, W. McCormick, Tattersall. J. Combie, L. Wall is, J. Cobine, U. McGee, H. Ward, and J. McCaul.

The following' team has been picked to represent civilians (Wairoa South) at the Rifle Association's meeting: — Messrs C. Ateheson, H. Walsh, and E. W. AVilson.

So the military display in aid of the new Drill Hall lias been once more knocked on the head. Colonel Banks has the affairs of the Sixth Contingent on his hands, so that, as lie. remarked at the officers' meeting last week, the responsibility of a volunteer turn-out would be thrown on Colonel White. Hut the latter has business which requires his absence from town at the present time, and so the proposal fizzles out once more. If the volunteers' own officers are so half-hearted over the matter it is hardly to he expected that the public will be enthusiastic. The latter indeed can, hardly be blamed for thinking- that the volunteers don't want a neAv Drill Hall at all. as one of the Demonstration Committee asserted the. other day. Of course, if the volunteers are as content, with their dilapidated shed as the City Council are with their antediluvian Fire Brigade station and plant, why, then, they don't want a new Drill Hall. And if they don't want' it they can rest assured that no one will rush to thrust one upon them — not even the Government!

Thus the "Canterbury Times," in reference to the Sixth Contingent: — Nobly is this call being responded to. Hardly had the word been passed that live hundred men were. wanted when six hundred names were in the hands of the authorities. What a contrast between the promptness of this reply and that to the req\iest for men to make a military holiday display in Australia at the Corhmomvealth celebrations! The men for the Commonwealth detachment c:une to the scratch, of course, but did not come "falling over each other,"' as the saying is, to do so. But when the further chance of smelling gunpowder was offered, the hands of the Defence Office were full of recruiting lists.

The next annual rifle meeting- of the N.Z. Riile Association will be held at the I'utiki Range, Wang-anui, from Thursday, March 21st, to March 23th. Friday, 29th. will be a. special day for the Mounted Infantry Tournament. The meeting .will be open to members of Volunteer Corps and Rifle Club men on equal terms, Rifle Clubs may now practically be considered as part of the Defence Forces of the colony, and it is to be hoped that in the future Volunteer and Eifle Club men will work together harmoniously with one end in view, the protection of .the colony from invasion and the solidarity of the British Empire. The Martini-Enfield .303 rifle will be used at the meeting-. Any attempt to use the .30;-! and the Martini-Henry by handicapping the former Avould, In my opinion, cause great dissatisfaction. The Government afc making- arrangements by which they hope to issue rifles to competitors about the 20th of Janr^iry. Applications for rifles by individual competitors must, be first sent to the Officer Commanding1 the Corps or Rifle Club, and will be sent on by him to the Officer Commanding the District. Care must be taken not to send single applications, for rifles when a greater number may 'eventually be required. The sum of one pound per rifle must be forwarded with the application, and this sum will be returned.td the competitor at the meeting. Any person having- received a rifle a.nd not attending the meeting will forfeit his pound, and captain of the Corps or Club will be responsible for the safety or the rifle. These rifles will be handed in cleaned and oiled at the conclusion of the meeting. Ammunition for practice with the .303 will be sold at cost price to captains of companies and Rifle Clubs, in P cases containing 1100 rounds.