VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 163, 10 July 1907, Page 7

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

CBY RIFLEMAKO Secretaries cf all volunteer corps throughout the Auckland district are Invited to conlribute to this column. "Rifleman" will be glad to receive any Item of special or general interest for publication, not merely concerning town companies, but equally concerning the country corps. It is desired in these notes to keep volunteers throughout the province well informed in ues7S of vomnteei interest, and it is only by the co-operation of country corps with the editor that this can be accomplished satisfactorily. News intended for publication In the current week's Notes should be In thia office by Tuesday at the latest They should be signed by a responsible official, not for publication, but only as a guarantee of good faith.

Chaplain-Capt E. M. Cowle has been ■promoted to the rank of Chaplain-Major (third class) in the N-2;. Chaplaincy List

The three _stive companies will hold a church parade on Sunday next, mustering at the Drill Hall and marching to the Epiphany Church In Newton.

Captain Bosworth. Intelligence Officer ton the Auck'and District Staff, has been awarded the Colonial Long-service Medal for over 20 years' service.

The follow—ig promotions have been made tn the No. 1 Natives:—Lance-Corp. Johnson and Pvt. Walker to be corporals; Pvts. Smith and Nealy to be lance-cor-poral—

Captain Browne, Mounted Instructor for the North Island, returns to Auckland from Wellington this week, and proceeds to Tauranga for the School of Instruction there.

The Penrose range committee have drawn up the following time-table for July: 13th J_y, 200 and 500 yds, range officer, Captain Kay; 20th July, 500 and 700 yds, Llent. — wen; 27th July, 200 and 600 yds, Captain Courts.

Captain Richardson, Director erf Ordnance, will probably pay a visit to Auckland during the next Artillery camps, in order to personally supervise the training of the companies of Artillery and examine them for the shield competitions.

The Wellington district has a Mounted Cadet Corps, the only one of its kind in the colony. Its headquarters are at Mall—a, and it is at present in a healthy state. The "skipper." Captain Mitchell, who saw service in South Africa, is very proud of "his boys," and hopes this summer to take them for a week's route march round Mount Egmont.

Colonel Wolfe. 0.C.D.. went to Thames on Tuesday to inspect the companies there. He goes thence to Paeroa, and returns to Auckland by way of Huntly, where on Friday he inspects the Huntly Rifles. He reaches Auckland on Saturday, and on the following day goes again to Paeroa and Waihi, and thence to Tauranga for the School of Instraction, which is to be held there next week.

The Battery i3 to undergo some systematic field training this year independently of the guns. There are to be held certain

"Battery rides" during the summer, in which the company will act as a skeleton force, and go through all the operations of attack and defence without the guns. The officers, non-coms, and specialists will get all the Instruction and practice they require tn this way.

Captain Knyvett. of the No. 1 G.A., delivered what is declared to be one of the most interesting lectures ever given at the Officers' Club on Friday last. His subject was "Scouting,"' and he treated It in an unconventional, entertaining way, that his hearers were Interested and amused to the end of the lecture. It was very instructive, and being principally personal reminiscences of South Africa, was full of interest.

Before Captain Richardson went to Wellington he held a practical examination for the whole of the "A" Battery noncoms. They have now to pass in two papers on theoretical knowledge, which papers are tn be sent from Wellington. Captain Richardson expresses himself very well satisfied with the work done, and he pointed out also some defects which conld be remedied. In his report upon his visit he says tnat the non-coms, are of the right st__p. a™* .well selected.

Pt Egan won the fourth of the Coro_a_del Rifles' competitions for __nt Gatland's trophy on Saturday, »Tiri _g tiii<a is his third win, he takes the trophy.

Capt. Carpenter, A.AG., went to Waipn on Friday to inspect the Scottish Horse. He was accompanied by Staff S.M. Coleman, and he returned last night

For the first time in the history of Otago volunteering, a brigade route march is contemplated It is to be held on the evening ot Monday?, July 15, but the route and distance have not b?-n 'ecided on.

Further promotions iv the Battery are 3ombs- Goldenstedt and Hamilton to be corporals and gunners; R. H. Brown and Bynes to be bombardiers; subject to their pass—ig the examinations, of course

The transfer of Major G. W. s. Patterson to the A.U.L., with the rank of Major, which I mentioned last week, is announced in the 'Gazette." This week's "Gazette" sbould contain the notice of Capt. Gardner's promotion to the permanent command of the Division.

„<■ +~c ta£ i ot J. ns truction for the officers f n , the .„ G : A ' Division has been arranged, ana will be begun to-morrow week This is preparatory to a general class of instruction for the non-coms., and is the beginning of Captain Gardner's work In his new command.

The draw for the Garrison R.rj. matches has been made, but as there is a possibility that another team may be entered, the publication of the programme has been postponed till nest week. It is also proposed to constitute a B grade for those who do not care to enter the A grade. Entries for this grade close ou the 22nd.

I hear that the difficulty which has been troubling a certain body of volunteers considerably of late, even to the extent of a threatened dissolution, has been quietly settled with satisfaction to both sides. The point contended for was gained by the indlvidna— concerned, and there is once more calm on the troubled waters.

The arrangements for the Garrison Boxing Tournament are proceeding satisfactorily. There is to be a meeting of the delegates on Thursday, the Officers - Club being represented by Major Wynyard, P ™d Plngge, and the NC.O. Club by Sergts. Clark, Martin, and Mcllroy. The men will also send delegates to represent their Interests.

It has been arranged that copies of examination papers set in the officers' examinations held by the Defence Conncil are to be circulated, after the examinations are over, among candidates preparing for the tests in order to show them what the questions they are to be asked are like! l, a , splendi<l arrangement, for half S® ba " le to <*am±na_ons is to know what form the questions are likely to take.

«/ I + i? ell r re , $ hat the Position of adjutant of the Auckland Division of G.A. was ofttuTJ 0 tf a i ta ? n A r. chl "ald. formerly cap•«£LJl f t ? e ? eto ° c Navals. and now in the Crown Lands Office. Auckland: but he has been unable to accept the position I also believe that CaptairT Gardner is makhf ■"»»*«-<>-*« .to have the work of n«™ 4mt f mcy carried oa "» he makes a Permanent appointment. This appointment will be made shortly, if all goes

-J^f of the Hobart signalling corps, has been received at the War Of?w t? d , there i , ls eT ery reason to believe that his Invention of a field pocket telephone will be shortly tested. Lieutenant Medhnrst is an officer of the Tasmanian Te/egraph Department, and six months ago went to England to bring his invention under the notice of the War Office The chief merit of his instrument is thai it weighs only 21b or 31b, and can be carried without discomfort on the belt.

There has been some friction betweec the Defence Department and the "I" Battery (Westport), and that corps will be disbanded. There is a strong feeling against such a course in Westport, and meetings of protest have been held. If the battery does disband, it is possible that another corps will be formed. The Conncil has been appealed to with the object of getting time to form a new field battery, for which it is stated over 100 fcnen are already available. The trouble with the company is internal dissensions, I understand, and rather than give way the men have preferred to disband.

A School of Instruction for RCO.'s of the Auckland Garrison is being held this week at the Drill Hall. Lectures are delivered esch night by members of the District Staff, between S and 9.30, the subject matter being elementary, field, engineering, topography, musketry, discipline, range-finding, and the like. This afternoon was also devoted to some special work, and a class will be held on Saturday afternoon next There are about thirty non-coms, of all branches attending, and the lectures are proving ■•> very interesting.

Captain Richardson's report on the G.A. Division is, on the whole, very favourable. He commends the energy and activity of the officers and men, but he makes some •valuable suggestions for improvements. He suggests that the companies should be more independent of the Permanent instructors, and the officers and non-coms, should give more instruction themselves. He particularly refers to the fact that too often the officers stand by and watch tbe Permanent men —struct Instead of doing it themselves. He states also that he intends to try and have electrical contrivances fixed up In the forts, so as to make It possible to work there as If under actual war conditions.

Sir David Mason, of Lahore, says that there Is a well-organised volunteer force in India, composed entirely of Europeans, who are held as a check against mutiny. Speaking as an experienced officer.—he is the lieutenant-colonel commanding 900 of the Lahore volunteer forces—Sir David said the volunteers of India had a better system of training than those of New Zealand. In this colony there was far too much work done In the driHshed; In India, very little attention was given to inside work, but there was ten days' camping per annum, when movements in extended order, attack and defence, and stockade operations were undertaken. On two days of the encampment the volunteers worked In co-operation with the regular troops. Drillshed work was now considered old-fashioned-

The shield of the No. 2 Regiment, A.M-R, which was won by the Hamilton Squadron this year. Is awarded on an allround test, in which points are given for dress, management of led horses and riding, shooting, judging distance, time, etc. There were five teams entered, each of nine men, and the competition took place on the sand mound at Raglan, south of the bar. The Cambridge squadron went out first, as the defenders of the shield (they won it last year), and scored 9S points, which represents a 2 points Improvement on their score last year. Hamilton put up a big score of 107 by consistent quality all throuch. The scores were:—Hamilton (Sergt. SbawV 107; Cambridge (Sergt,Major Bruce), 9S; Raglan (Sergt.-Major Nicholson). 71: Te Awamutn (Sergt--Major Bockett). 55: Plako (Sergt. Given) did not complete their match, as they were disqualified on account of some misfortunes.

The Wellington Farmers' Union is endeavouring to raise funds to provide a shield for competition amongst the members who belong to Defence Rifle Clubs. The Farmers' Unions of the colony are nein" circularised by the Otago Union on the "subject of encouraging a. greater interest in defence matters, and urging that rifle clubs should be formed in the country districts under the auspices of the different nnions. This recommendation Is being adopted practically everywhere, but the Wellington Union is going one better by providing the shield. No doubt the local Farmers' Union will not be beaten by its Southern rivals, and will rise to the occasion. One hears occasional rumonrs that the local A. and P. Association is intending to devote some money to encouraging rifle shooting, and I believe that there is a sort of legacy from the regime of Colonel Davies of a sum of money promised by the Association. No definite information seems available, however.