VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 198, 19 August 1908, Page 9

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

VST RIFLEMAN.) Secretaries of all volunteer corps tnrougnout the Auckland district are invited to contribute to this column. "Rifleman" will be glad to receive any item of special or general interest for publication, no» merely concerning town companies, but equally concerning the country corps. It te desired in these notes to keep volunteers throughout the province well informed in k2 w *u volunteer interest, and It is oniy by the co-operation of country corps with «M«f, J or .. that v, thiß can b0 accomplished satisfactorily. News Intended for publlcafn thu „£ CUlTent week's Notes should be Thi h!l Cc , bl , Tuesday at the latest. «,i,} n^ U d , be fi 'f?. ed by a responsible official, uot for publication, but only as a guarantee of good faith. y beS"V»W?L . W ' G ' M <»>ckton, M.A.. has been elected honorary chaplain of the Sed uou xlorsc. The acting appointment of Mr E H Andrews as lieutenant of the No. 1 muris is approved. The Northern Wairoa M.R., which ceased to exist many months ago is officially gazetted as defunct as from July 34th. The Rev J. King Davis, M.A., has been appointed honorary chaplain to the Auckland Grammar School Defence Cadets Bat talion. «v The „ re '\'- !r S at , ioD of Ma J° i ' Joseph Lyons from the N.Z. Vet. Corps, and as P.V.O. at to Australia" 8 acc epted. He has gone The acting appointments of Messrs H. T Hoscawen. J. R. Litchfield, and A. M. Richardson, as subalterns in the Franklin M.K., are approved in General Orders. _____ • A challenge has been received and accepted by the Te Aroha Rifle Club from the Waikino Rifle Club, to be fired off at Te Aroha rifle rauge on Saturday, September 12. Major A. Bell (2nd Regiment A.M.R.), Capt. 11. J. Clifford, A.U.L., and Capt. W. R. C. Walker (No. 3 Waikato M.R.) have been appointed trustees of the Cambridge Drill Shed reserve. Captain Richardson, Chief Instructor of Artillery, was In Aucklaud for a few days prior to Monday last, when he went South ajrain. He returns next Tuesday, and will spend the rest of the month in Auckland instructing the artillery branches He lectures on "Reconnaissance and Topography" to the N.C.O. Club on the 2Sth lust. When the Battery went to get their guns on Monday in fleet week, they found them stowed in an old coal-shed, covered in coaldust aud begrimed in every part. The spick-nn-span Batterymt n, dressed With their usual care, had to set to and clean up the guns before they could have them out. Kven the breach-blocks were penetrated by the dust. Two 12pr. guns, which are to be manned by the I'ort Chalmers Navals. one to be mounted at Port Chalmers for drill purposes, arc probably both on their way from Auckland to Otago. Two field Nordenfeldts are also being sent from Nelson for the use of the Otago Division—one for Dunedin and one for Port Chalmers. I heard some tall yarns from the American officers. Here's a good sample. "Lootenaut" Jones —not the top-score man—ordered a steak, and it came in very much underdone. He was a quiet man—like Brown of Calaveras—but he took that steak and threw it against the wall, where it stuck. He gut out his six-shooter, and poured about six shots into it before it fell. "There," he said, "take it out and cook it. l guess the critter's about dead now!" The flrst of the extra Garrison Artillery companies now provided for in each of tho four centres was formed iv Wellington last November, and has just been accepted. These are the Electric Lighting companies, whose duties arc the care of the electric lights in the forts. There is very little probability that such a company will be formed in Auckland for some time to come. The official disbandraent of the No. C Co., Engineers (the Submarines at Wellington) is announced as having been effected on November 18 last Their place has been taken by the new Electric Lighting Section of the Wellington G.A. Division, which company is largely composed of the old Submarines. The Auckland Submarines are actually, though perhaps not yet officially, dead, but their official interment can hnrdly be delayed much longer. The attempt to incorporate the Auckland Submarines Into an Electric Lighting Section of the G.A. failed. The Drill Shed (known during Fleet Week ns the "Military Hall," but uo%v alas! fallen back to its plain everyday appellation) waa thrown open to the use of tile voiunteers to-day. from which date the usual drill will no doubt be held. At one time the volunteers used to think the Drill Hall their own. Now they are convinced they are there merely on sufferance The NCO flub has a bone still to pick with the" Defence Department or somebody in authority concerning the summary ejection, of their goods nnd chattels from their sanctum without refereuce to the lawful pints at the room. It will be interesting to hear what the Department has got to say. especially if a claim for missing goods is put in. "it is mat to be expected that unpaid voluntarily-serving colonials wil stand such summary treatment from officialdom. and it seems on the facts clear that thclub is entitled to an explanation nnd an apology. Two or three weeks ago I mentioned that Lieutenant John Evelyn Dulgau (Permanent Force) who arrived from England in July, nfter undergoing a course In engineering with the Imperial force, had been "I'poiuted to the General Instructional Staff at headquarters as Instructor In engineering subjects. This officer is now making -a tour of the Dominion, and is due in Auckland in September. He will conduct a school „ engineering services, and for signalling r-omuauies here, from September Ist to wH He has already una schools in Weilin"t'on and Canterbury, and is at present to Dunedin. He returns to Wellington, iLJnff there for -Auckland. He return* to Weirngton "v September 12th. (Lucky Wen ngton! she gets any amount of special instruction. And they wonder why the other parts don't progress equally!), and visits Nelson on the 16th. Told mc on the Lousiana:-The MjMj" came aboard one evening, and the talk with thf Admiral about midnight turned to watertight compartments. Admiral said he could close Them all in 1 minute 30 seconds-not unite sure about the figures—but, anyway U seemed Incredible, and the President bet something on it. On the bridge there arc fwolevcrs. One controls the compartments alone, the other calls the ship to fighting nuart'ers and simultaneously closes the compartments—by electrical means The President held the clock while the Admiral presstl aown the first lever, and, to the latter's Thacrin the tell-tale showed that the current was off. The President laughed, and the Ad.niral flung down the other lever. Like lichtning the tell-tale threw up the of the dosing doors, and the scuffle of feet throughout the ship indicated that the men asleep l" hammocks had leapt out and were rushing to Ugh ting quarters Then the Admiral smiled— they had done It in a few seconds above the stipulated time. But the "watch below" didn't see the point iv the joke! The A Battery had to parade, as I expected, with undiilled horses, and the splendid front they showed lv the march past aud advance was a tribute to very excellent driving. The company had but one casualty As the guns were being taken to the parade ground, one of the horses, which had been all along refractory, retired up nnd fell back hitting its head on the kerb, whereby it sustained concussion of the brain and died How the rider escaped was a miracle, "erliaps he just "stepped off" like the American guide—never henrd the yarn? No room to tell it in full here, but the point is that the guide's horse rode over the edge of n mile-deep canyon, and when the earth below got so near that it seemed certain something would happen—well, the guide j "just stepped off"! Another incident of ' the Battery's parading occurred when the horses refused to take a curve, with the result that the shaft ran into a gate post, smashing it and being Itself smashed. A handy-man fixed up tie pole with some blanket and rope, and the Battery arrived .on time.

I understand the Garrison Officers' Club will hold their annual ball next month. Colonel Wolfe. O.C IMstrict, is away on a visit to the Whakatane M.R.. He may Tislt Waihi on his road back to Auckland. The usual quarterly examination of officers will be held on the 2nd of September. All officers whose acting-appointments are expiring will have to present themselves ii tlicy wish to retain their positions. The N.C.O. Club, whose advertisement has been appearing in the "Star" this week, holds its annual ball on Friday night next in the Royal Albert Hall. Every preparation has been made to make this a success, and I have no doubt the guests will have an enjoyable time. A meeting of members of the Nos. 1 and 2 Natives will be held to-morrow night, with a view to their taking part iv the football matches as a combined team. If the team can be formed, then a captain, vicecaptain, and secretary will be elected. Those not able to attend must be at the football ground not later than 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. Capt. A. Coutts is fortunate to have in the No. 1 Natives such an enthusiastic volunteer as Pvt. Walter Cummins, who had the honour to be presented with the 20 years' New Zealand medal for continuous service by Col. Wolfe at the big review last week. After the parade was dismissed, the No. 1 Natives gave Pvt. Cummins three warm cheers. It is interesting to note that Pvte. Cummins' father received the 21 years' Imperial medal for long service and good conduct in the Newfoundland Artillery, nnd therefore he is a real "chip of the old block." The mounted camp at Green Lane was one of the largest since the visit of 11. E.H. Prince of Wales in 190S—four, regiments of mounted rifles, numbering between 600 and 700 men, Lieut.-Colonel Holgate, Brigadier in command of the Mounted Brigade. -Majors Bloomfield, Allan Bell, Eccles, and Bennett were in charge <jf their respective regiments. Major C'arolan, N.Z-M.C, was the senior medical officer, and Major Frazer senior veterinary officer. Little sickness occurred during the encampment, but the veterinary surgeons were kept busy. The men enjoyed the outing, although undergoing considerable fatigue. I am told that the time spent on the march and in camp will not count towards capitation. There Is to be a General Staff School of Instruction in Auckland during next January and February on quite an elaborate scale. The dates fixed for the subdivisions are: 14th January to 22nd January—Non commissioned officers; 23rrt January to 31st January—Junior officers: 2nd February to Oth February—Senior officers. A District Order is now being issued in reference to these classes, by which O.C. units are requested to scud in tho names of niemoers likely to be able to attend the classes to the O.C. District. The success of the classes thfs year was undoubted, and it is anticipated that they will be even more successful. It ts to be noted that the classes are subdivided better than they were this year. probably in expectation that they will be better attended. It is gratifying to observe that the claims of the N.C.O.'s to greater attention aud instruction are provided for. The N.C.O. class is the backbone of the military force, and If they are relatively Inefficient or Inexperienced, the work of tlic most capable officers is wasted. It Is very much to be regretted that nothing official conld bo done by the Garrison Officers' Club to entertain the officers of the visiting American Fleet last week. I heard several expressions of regret from officers of the American Navy that they were unable to see more of the local volunteer officers. Those whom they did see they were very cordial to. and showed an Inclination to pursue the acquaintance. Ou the afternoon of the Mayor's reception there were many of the American officers enjoying the hospitality of the Club at tho "Military Hall." and they seemed very grateful for tho chance to escape from the formality, and the seethe and bustle inseparable from such a huge reception. 1 nm afraid the "local government" officials had mighty little Interest for these Navy men, and they were glad to tlnd refuge from the storm In the cosy haven of the clubroom. It is admitted on all sides that, while the American sailor is—well, hardly a sailor from the British point of view—a sort of sen-mechanic—the officers, on the other hand are a fine, manly, capable, and sailorlike type to know whom ls an unalloyed pleasure. The trouble with the American sailor is that ashore he reckons himself no more of the Navy. If he salutes bis officer on shore. It Is a courtesy, not a duty: he recks not a jot for the Navy when he Is not aboard. How different from our Jack tar, who once a sailor, is always a sailor: Our London correspondent on July 10 writes:—"The last member of the First New Zealand Contingent to loave South Africa is Mr Jas. Thorpe, of Wanganul. who arrived here by the Durham Castle a fortnight ago from South Africa, having been at last retrenched from the Central South African railways, after serving since 1900. He served iv the capacity of assis-tant-engineer on new construction works. 'I went to South Africa.' said Mr Thorpe, 'as No. 20 of the First New Zealand Contingent, and I am the last to leave the country where so many of our comrades sacrificed their lives; where I suffered hunger, thirst and dirt, even unto lice, and wiiere, after all. the Boers hold a stronger position than ever they did before. Think on it. nnd think again, and try if you can tn measure our feelings. I am sure you will fail. Only those who have campaigned can understand these things. However, away with grousing and let us face the future. I hurried here to try and obtain another railway post, in Nigeria, China, or Brazil-knowing that the great corporations in London govern most of the railway enterprises in those countries. So far I am in the position of Micawber. Meanwhile. I have visited various points of interest, and have been mightily impressed. I had always intended lo visit this England, and as the Mahomraedan to his Mecca, so 1 ever looked to this the land or my sires. 1 propose staying till the end of August unless I obtain a post before that, then back at last after nine years' absence to my own, my New Zealand, my native laud.' '' The shooting match ou Thursday last was the biggest success of all the Fleet Week shows, nnd the Americans, though they lost, were delighted. The victory of the Aucklanders was well deserved, and Capt. Lyman, of the Vermont, assured the committee that if the Aucklanders had had the "peep sights" which the Americans had ou their rifles, they would have won by a hundred points. As It was, the win by 49 was good enough, and yet close enough to make the stand made by the Americans creditable. The good point about the Aucklanders was their high average—the team scored 92.5 per man on the average. The committee regretted very much to hnve to reduce the team, and it is admitted that the men excluded would give the representatives a closjj run for It, though It is felt they would probably not equal the same high average. The exclusion of some was inevitable, for the Americans would not "take on" a team of more than 25. The re-selection was fairly made, # and two members of the committee —Captains Shepherd and Grant —were not included, which is evidence of Impartiality. The committee tried very hard to arrange the original 50 match, but could not move tho visitors, who did not feel equal to a fifty match. Anyway, the committee deserve warm praise for their carrying out of the scheme, and it is matter for congratulation that Auckland's will be the lirst name on the cup. It is no small honour that the cup itself was accepted ns a perpetual challenge trophy. Its ultimate destiny is to be competed for by the ships of the Fleet, by one of which it will be held till another wrests It from the crew.