VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 49, 27 February 1901, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

(By "Rifleman")

The volunteer year ends to-morrow, 28th inst.

Colonel Wyndham says it only costs the Imperial Government £200 a day the Britannic's charter price—to keep the Imperial Represeu.ta.tive Corps in the colonies.

Next Saturday the Auckland Mounted Rifles hold a competition, Married v. Single, at their rifle range, at Penrose. On the following Saturday the Corps visits Mamirewn, and the week after the recruits of the Corps will fire for a trophy presented by Sergeant O'Hulloran.

Apparently the Auokland Mounted Rifles are the only local corps who have done their volley-tiring this year. All the other corps are handicapped by the want of a. rifle range, the Mount Eden range being considered unsafe for volley-firing. As far as Auckland volunteers are concerned, this branch of rifle instruction exists only in name.

The drafts of men being sent from New Zealand to fill the vacancies in our contingents in South Africa will not take horses with them. The first draft consists of 300 men, but uniforms have been ordered for 1200.

A Southern paper draws attention to the necessity for inaugurating the battalion system among the mounted corps of the colony, and adds that incalculable damage is being done to the mounted corps by the lassitude shown by the Defence authorities in this matter.

Wanted, a practicable method for keeping- up the ammunition supply in the firing line. The inclusion of ammunition waggons in the field-day equipment of our volunteers has been urged again and again, but it has never been acted upon. Under present conditions, when a man had emptied his cartridge pouch or be.t he would be practically defenceless.

"The training of the men for rifle shooting rests with the noncoms (writes 'Bullseye'), and unless they are prepared to do their share, all the work of the officers is useless. An officer has plenty to do in the matters of administration and government, and it is hard on him if he has also got to relieve his non-coms, of their work of teaching the men the use of the rifle." The Auckland volunteer authorities apparently fail to recognise this, for they insist upon an officer having charge of the shooting at the rifle range, no matter how experienced the no-*soms. may be.

The call is still for volunteers in South Africa. The Cape papers teem with advertisements for recruits at 5/ a clay. In cycle corps the men 'are allowed 2/ a day extra if they find Uieir own bicycles, or if the bicycles are provided by the authorities they become the property of the men at tius Mid of three months.

The volunteers generally (says the Christehureh "Press") think that, except in the matter of marching, the Imperial representatives had not a great deal to teach them. That their marching was superb no one will for a moment , controvert, and their manual and firing "was a treat to see; but in the physical, as will be seen in the picture published in this issue, they were a long way behind the local men, while their lance work was certain^' not the acme of regularity.

The subject of billeting the Imperial troops has been widely discussed throughout the colony; therefore it will be of interest to our readers to know how the matter is viewed at Home. This can be gathered from a quotation from the "Exmouth Chronicle." A regiment of Yeomanry were to encamp at Exmouth. A meeting of the citizens was held, when it was resolved to offer to billet the whole of the regiment in the town. Although the suggestion was approved and supported by Colonel Sir John Shelley, the commander of the regiment, the War Office absolutely refused permission.

A Press Association wire from Wellington states that the question of handicapping in connection with the

..'lO3 and Martini-lleury rifles to be' used at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association meeting at Wanganui on 21st March has caused the executive of the Association a great deal of thought. Col. Sommerville, chairman of the New Zealand Association, communicated with Col. Templeton, chairman of the Victorian Rifle Association, on the subject, and the latter cabled back advising that the following handicaps should be given the Martini-Henry when competing against the MartiniEnfield (.303) rifle:—At 500 and COO yards, 1 point; at 700, 2 points—this in seven shots- at each distance; so that in a 21 shot match the MartiniHenry would get a 4 points handicap; Other ranges, and ten shot matches, will be based on the above scale. Col. Sommerville admits his dislike to handicapping, but in view of the short supply of the Martini-Enfields there is no option, and in any case competitors at the forthcoming meeting are in no worse position than the Victorians and New South Welshmen were at their respective gatherings. For the match confined

to our New Zealand men who have served in South Africa a large entrance is expected, nnd it is understood the Defence Minister will authorise a large amount for allocation as prize money.

A Waihi correspondent signing himself "One of the Defenders," writes correcting the published account of the sham-fight at Waihi on the 15th inst. He claims that the defenders, under Lieut. Wearne, were posted on "a miniature Magersf ontein,". and that had their officers not been interfered with they would have won the day. Only half the attacking force, under Lieut. Gilmore, assaulted the position, and when crossing the open they were exposed ~to "murderous volleys" from -he defenders at. 200 yards range. "Had it been the real thing," wrir_s'> the con-espondent, "Lieut. Gilmore's force must have shared the fate of the Highland Brigade at Magersfonteim" The defence

were every moment expecting to assume the offensive, when the SergeantMajor ordered Lieut. Wearne to retire and take up a new position. He did so- very reluctantly, considering his position impregnable, and in the retirement the defenders were exposed to heavy fire. However, on gaining the ridge at the rear the defenders soon compelled the enemy to evacuate the position from which the retirement was made.

The friends of Captain .T. Hume, of the Permanent Artillery, who went to South Africa on special service, will be glad to hear of his arrival and reception in England, where he goes to take the long gunnery course. A prominent English paper says of Captain Hume: "Among the arrivals from South Africa by the troopship Assayc, early in the present month, was Captain J. E. Hume, of the New Zealand Artillery, who has come. Home with the view of going through the 'long course' of gunnery at Woolwich. The captain is in first-class trim, notwithstanding his ten months' experience with the Royal Artillery in the 'Laud of Lies.' Though hard worked in South Africa, Captain Hume speaks of his term there, as 'a most pleasing experience,' and says with conviction that the l.oyal Artillery is the finest regiment in the world. While in the theatre of war he was attached to three companies of the X.A.—viz., the Fifth Company of the Eastern Division, Second Company South Division, und the Thirty-sixth Company of the hitter division. He saw most of the •lighting service when attached to the last-named company with the Eleventh Division, under General PoleCarew, which took part iv the general advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, by way of Kroonstad and Johannesburg. Afterwards the force went eastwards through Middlebttr<>YYonderfontein, Belfast, etc., towards Komati Poort, but most of the fighting occurred around Johannesburg, Pretoria, Diamond Hill, and Middleburg. Captain Hume enjoyed his practical experience, and speaks in eulogistic terms of the manner in which he was treated by all the Imperial officers he came in contact with. They gave him, he says, every opportuuitv ot gaining practical experience in the held, and on several occasions his commanding officer of the 30th b.D.B.A. sent him off with one or two • •in guns to act on his own initiative subsequently mentioning his services in despatches, and recommending him for promotion to the Colonel commanding. He received his promotion by cable whilst doing duty at the Castle, Cape Town, prior to sailing tor England on November 14th in the Assaye, which carried some 1500 sick and wounded officers and men of various regiments."

On Saturday afternoon next (March -.the Akarana Rifle Club intends holding ,ts fourth series of matches -or Mr 1 home's championship <r o ]d medals and Mr R Kea.rsley* s championship shield. I„ the event of the weather proving unfavourable for hrst-class shooting, competitors for Mr G Rend', nnd Mr J-. T. Buchanan's medals for "A" and "B" Class respectively, will be substituted, seven shots and two s.ghter S at the 300, 500, and 000 yards ranges.

The following members of the Victoria Rifles have notified their intention of representing the Company at the New Zealand Rifle Association meeting-Captain Skinner, Lieut, tow Sergt. fvretschmar, Privates Tobin and Carlson. They will be a strong team to boat. On Monday the Company will tire their match for the bronze medal, starting at 5.15.

The Tauranga Mounted Rifles held a military tournament and sports last Thursday, at the Tauranga Racecourse. During the afternoon Sergt.Major Crespin gave an exhibition 0 of swordsmanship in attacking and pursuing practice. According to the local paper, the popular Sergeant-Major was "the life and soul of the whole affair, nnd the thanks of the corps, as well as the public, are due to him for one of the most novel and interesting afternoon's amusement ever spent in Tauranga."

The "Hot Lakes Chronicle" of a recent date says that the members of the local volunteer corps ore about to form a, club for the purpose of arranging military sports to be held on Her late Majesty's birthday anniversary.