VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 43, 19 February 1908, Page 7

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Secretaries of all volunteer corps throughout the Auckland district are Invited to contribute to this column. '•Rifleman' will be gjact to receive any Item of special or general Interest for publication, not fflereiy concerning town companies, bat equally concerning the country corps. It ia desired in these notes to Keep volunteers •JirousEout mV province well informed la news of vcmtteer interest, and it is only »/ tile co-opeiution of country corps witn tie editor that this can be accomplished satisfactorily. News Intended for publication in the current week's Notes should Be in this office by Tuesday at the latest. They should be signed by a responsible official, not for publication, but ocly as a guarantee of good faith. The Governor has approved the "appointment of Lieut A. C. ttinsston as a subaltern in the Eay of Islands M-&. The best section in the No. 1 A.G.A. was found to be the D.R.F. division, who, though new men mostly, did very well indeed in the examinations. Capt. Hazard went to Sydney on Monday for a six weeks' holiday. Lieut. Morran is in command of the company during his absence. The No. 2 A.G. Committee met on Monday to confer with the Garrison Band on the proposed Thames' trfrp. It is likely that Uie trip will be a very successful one, as considerable Interest has been evinced in the visit. In previous years it has been very enjoyable. The Auckland M.R. go out to Penrose on Friday night to conclude their class-tiring at the head and shoulders and disappearing targets. They camp there overnight, and fire early in the morning, and as many as possible will remain on rhe range till the afternoon to compete in the Barker Shield matches. Three entires ody have been received for the Klrker trophy competition on Saturday next—the Auckland M.R., the Pnkekohe M.R., and the Franklin M.R. The Seddon Horse will not be competing, owing to a parade they are holding, some misconception as to the date of" the competition being the cause, I understand. I have pleasure in congratulating Captain H. G. McMillan, of the Scottish Horse, and Captain W. S. Clark, of the Haarafci Rilles, on their passing the examination for the "skippers' , ticket. The official ratification of their promotion to the command of their respective corps is in the latest Gazette. After a spell of several months the No. 2 A.G.A. reopen their shooting season at Penrose on Saturday nest, when the first match for Gunner Anderson's Gold Medal will be flred. Entries close with the secretary (Sergeant Clark) this evening. Competitors are requested to catch the 1.10 p.m. train from town. Colonel Davies, Inspector General for the Dominion, has finished his tour of the Auckland district and was to leave for the South to-day. He has been part of his time in Auckland, the guest of Captain "W. R. Bloomfield, of the Seddon Horse, who returned from his trip to the West Coast Bounds a little while ago. Colonel Woli'e, 0.C.D., is at present visiting the Opotiki M.R. camp on the East Coast. lie went down thither on Monday morning, and is expected back at the end of the week. Captain Browne, of the General Instructional staff, has been in attendance at this camp—the last for this volunteer year—giving instrnction to the officers. He proceeds to several other places on the coast to pnt some of the officers through their facings. .Matters with regard to the Auckland M.R. have not progressed very far since I announced the resignation of Capt. Whyte. The senior subaltern has been communicated with, but up to the time of writing no answer had been received from him, and the affairs of the squadron are hung up meantime. Captain Whyte will command till the end of the volunteer year, and after that will retire from the squadron. Major Robinson, Director of Engineering, and Major Hume. O.C. Permanent Force, K-ent South on Sunday. Major Hume was up here assisting in the examination of the G.A. and examining his own Permanent Force men for their increases of pay on efficiency. Captain Richardson, D.0.. also went South, after examining the A Battery. He had a strenuous time of it in Auckland this year, The Wiseman Challenge Belt, which is held by Corp. Clark, of the Pukeohe M.R., at present, will be competed for on Saturday at Penrose while the Kirker trophy is being fired for. It is open to any M.R. man in the Ist Regiment A.M.R. to challenge the holder for possession of the belt, and there is bound to be a lot of competition for the trophy, with which goes a gold medal as a token of winning it, which the champion may keep. Lieut Greenhougn, of the No. 1 A.G.A., has just completed his service for the Imperial volunteer long service medal, that is to say, has put in twenty years' nnintermpted service. Capt. Knyvett will, by the way, have qualified for the V.D. to two years' time. He will be a very young officer to receive the V.D. Capt. Bosworth, Intelligence Officer, will also shortly qualify for the V.D., if my memory serves mc rightly. The Battery concluded a very successful camp by attempting to fire on the Takapuna hills at the week-end. They will most likely grade as A for efficiency, though the results arc-not known yet, and their position as regards gunnery is yet to be seen. They tried a few practice shots on Saturday afternoon, but the smoke was too thick for them to go on, and the firing was ceased: they will probably get the service practice off when the bush" fires have died down. The Victoria Rifles have made arrangements to fire the first ranges of their champion belt competition on Saturday. The committee have divided the company into three classes, with four cash prizes in. the first and second classes, and seven prizes for the third class. The competition should therefore prove interesting to even the latest recruit, who will have as good a chance of securing a prize as the older members. Mr Derrom, the company's energetic senior lieutenant, will have charge of the competition. I believe that Captain Forbes has decided to accept the offer of the adjutancy of the Auckland Division of G.A. It is probable that he will hand over the command of the company to Lieut Ewan before Easter, and go on duty during the manoeuvres in his new position. It is not known as ye: who is likely to take permanent command of the company. A little while ago it seemed likely that an ex-field artillery officer from Dunedin might have been appointed, but he has left the district. The position will be a hard one to fill, for the duties of an O.C. G.A. company Is no bed of roses. The No. 2 Co. A.G.A. anticipate taking about 50 men into Easter camp. The prospect of battle practice and war pay nttached is a strong inducement, and woe betide the men who stny uwjiy and make the j eornpnnr Inse the silrer coins. If fifty \ per cent of a company do not parade for I the full time nobody gets any money. I rule being relaxed before Easter. I am informed that as a result of the rule a good many of the M.R. are making up their minds not to come at all than risk losing their pay on such a condition. And no one can blame them. Why should the men who turn up be punished for the sake of the defaulters? He was an interested spectator of the battery shoot on any afternoon, and he wanted a souvenir. They were talking about things round the doctor's house, and he ventured to ask whether it would be possible to set one of those shells everybody was talking about He thought it would be a fine thing to take home, and put on the drawingroom mantelpiece. "Oh," said the doctor, folding his arms, and looking amiable and innocent, ''that's easily done. I There are lots of them down there on the j beach. Just go and help yourself." Now, the point of the joke is not so much in the pun. as in the complete way the inquirer swallowed it He never saw through it but marvelled much that shells should be thrown up on a sea beach! Absolutely trne.

Surgeon-Major Gore GiUon made Ms first appearance with the (Auckland military forces during the late G.A. firing on the Aorth Shore. The Major was attached to the Naval Artillery in town many years ago, and since taking up residence in Auckland, has not taken an active interest in volunteered. He was, however, discovered, and induced by the Department to resume his active work, with the consequence that he paraded on the Shore wita the good old naval uniform on him. I believe Surgeon-Major Gore Gillon holds the position next In seniority to P.M.O. Lieut.CoL Walker, V.D. Major Gardiner is a proud man these days, now that his Division have qualified ail in the A grade. It is a great record for Auckland, of which every man in the A.G.A. may well be proud. Last year only one company got the A grading," and the companies were none too good. This year after twelve months' strenuous work, every one of the companies gets the A grade, and two of them are likely to get Ist class glinnery passes. In addition, a Dominion, record, nay. three Dominion records for time have been put up, one by. each company, in QF work. No. 3 Company started in with a record of Imin SSsecs for-20 shots, with the best record for hits put up in Auckland, 32 hits- out of 39 shots; then followed No. 2, with a record for time of Imin 25sees; and then came No. 1 with the swiftest of all, Imin 22secs. Unfortunately, for divers reasons, the hits were not equal to the firing, but the rapidity of service shows the asiduity of the practice which produced it. The results of the Auckland G.A. Divisional tests, conducted by the defence officers, place all the companies in the A grade, Capt Forbes' company heading the efficiency side with S2 per cent, Capt. Hazard's company being next with 7b' per cent, and Capt Knyvett's a very close third, with. 75-o6 per cent In the firing the results are not yet complete, but Capt Hazard is sure of a Ist class on his results, and Capt Knyvett can hardly fail to be in the same class with his present score, .797, with . another 6-inch series to be fired on Saturday next from Fort Takapuna. Smoke prevented firing on Friday and Saturday last Capt Hazard's company got .803, and Capt Forbes just escaped a Ist class with a score of .6, which can be attributed most certainly to the haze on the water in the ease of the 6-inch firing. I have it on the best authority that the best all-round company for efficiency and organisation is the No. 2. The best authentic parade put up in the district was Capt. Knyvett's, on the occasion of the Inspector-General's inspecwhen there were 84 men present, only one man who was not out of the district being absent Officers who attended the course of instruction at the famous school some months ago- will be pleased to learn that they axe to have certificates of efficiency issued to • them as a record of that school; thus is virtue rewarded. Here is the list of the? officers to whom the certificates have been Issued:—Major Bennett (4th Regiment A.M.R.), Major Eceles, (3rd Regiment A.M.R.), Captains S. A. Grant (Ist Battalion Infantry), A. H. Tapoer (No. 4 Engineers). X T. Bosworth (Intelligence Officer), W. R. Bloomfield (Seddon Horse), A. Coutts (No. 1 Natives), Clark Walker (Marsden M.R.), C. E. R. Mackesey (3rd Regiment A.M.R.). McKenzie (Franklin M.R.), Wright (Hiknrangi Rifles), J. H. .Whyte (Auckland M.R.), Lieuts. Long (Bay of Islands M.R.), W. R. Butler (No. 4 Engineers). L. N. Shera (College Rifles), Boucher (Te Puke M.K.). Etlgecumbe (So. 2 Waikatos), Mackesey (Marsden M.R.), Dillicar (Whakatane M.R.). Cumming (Gordon •jßifles). J. E. Barton (No. 1 Waikatos). G. X Rastrick (Marsden M.R.). J. X Rayne3 (No. 1 Waiknto), Keegan (Whakatane M.R.), McCarroU Olarsden M.R.), W. C. Since (Eden Cadets!. G. Dean (No. 1 Ohinemuris). .T. Potter (Auckland M.R.), .T. B. Ariell (Otamaton. M.R.). C. D. Cooke (College Ri3es). Colthart (Scottish Horse), Deeming (Hiknrangi Rifles), A. B. Morton (A Bat> tery), W. D. Moore (Piako M.R.) The Bearer Corps are going in for a fine shield, which is being provided for competition between the ambulance men of tko. Dominion forces. This shield is to be made shortly, and prices have been obtained during the past week in Auckland for its maSing. The shield is to have a foundation of totara of the best sort Upon this base there will be a circlet of ebony, with a. number of silver shields covering it—these for the names of the companies which win it Within this circlet will be a silver centrepiece, either enjrraved or embossed. with a scene representing the field hospital men diligently at work succouring the wounded on a stricken, battle field. It is a very fine design, and, if well carried out, will nake a beautiful shield well worthy the winning, apart from the honour of having the company name on the shields. Its size is about IS inches by 14. There is also, by the way, a motto inscribed on a scroll. "Caritas in bello." The local bearer company needs some "bucking up." and I hope this will provide snme stimulus to the company members, and also draw them some recruits. What members there are are pretty keen, but there is something radically wroug with the constitution of the Bearer corps of the Dominion, and it is sincerely to be wished that some improvement may be made in this vitally important branch. It is a weil known fact that the Department have recently been making an effort through Colonel Tuson, A.G., to put the medical department on a sound workmanlike footing, and the effort fcas already borne fruit. What is needed Is for the experts to determine, bnt it is palpable to the ordinary observer that the most nejrlected side of our volunteer work at present, so far as the pnblic are concerned, 13 the ambulance. From the utility point of view hardly any branch of military work produces such excellent results In the ordlnarv life of the man who learns it as the ambulance. The red cross man finds a. use for his knowledge every day of hig life, and. while this is true of alt volunteering, it is most especially true of the "Sawbones" brigade. THE TRENTHAM MEETING. LAP.GE ENTRIES FROM AUCKLAND. The entries from Auckland for the Trentham meeting of the N.Z. Defence Forces" Rifle Association" this year beat the cumbers entered for the past two years considerably. There are 29 entrants for the different matches, which is ten in excess of last year and five more than 1008. The team is a good one. and may be said to pretty adequately represent the forces of the district, though one or two at the old names are missing. Hera is the list of the competitors, whose fees aggregate about £50:— Captains R. T. Cox (Victoria Rifles), R- S. Ready (No. 3 Ohinemuris). Lieutenants a. P. White (Franklin M.R.), H. T. Edgeeumbe (No. 3 W.M.R.), X Potter (Auckland M.R.), G. T. Kretschmar (No. 3 Natives). M. W; Atkinson (No. 1 Natives), Colour-Sergeants J. M. MeKerras (Newton Rifles), A. King (No. 3 Natives). Sergeants E. G. Hall (Waihi Rifles), W. Morgan (No. 2 A.G.A.), W. W. Mainsay (Piako M.R.). 11. J. Melville (No. 1 W.M-R-). Privates H. J. Rinipton (P.JI.R-). G. Farley, Cnrlsen S. Rowe, A. A. Patrick. J. Preston. T. Jack, W. Cox (Victoria RiflesO. J. A. Steele, T. A. Alexander (No. 1 W.M.R.). .T. Lund (No. 3 Ohinemnrls). J. Meyers (Hikurangi Rifles). Rifleman W. Moslem (Kaeo R.C.). G. and L. I.ovoday (Ohura R.C.), Wallace (Kohukotra R.C.).