DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 165, 11 July 1912, Page 8

DEFENCE NOTES.

(By BIFLEMAX.,!

The time- seems xo be opportune to dat the etientkm at Territorial companies to "the Hazard Football Cap, which is at present held by the College Brfles. Tie secretary (Xγ w. Drew) informs mc that any corps -n-iElmiE to play for file -cap can do so by sending in a challenge i accompanied by a fee of 2/6 i before Ist August. Any Territorial tympany in the Auckland district may challenge for tie cup. but toe ■holders cannot be called upon to play more than four matches in any one season in defence of the trophy. All information ran bp obtained from Mr Drew, who will also receive entries. Those interested will find ■him at 18, Victoria Street East, or at the (Drill HalL The following is a regimental order issued from headquarters of 3rd h Auckland i Kegiment of Infantry:—A class of instruction for N.C.O.'s. terminating in an examination for qualification for promotion, will assemble in the Drill Halt on Wednesday evenings, beginning nex? Wednesday, 17th inst. Fillin a; 7.3(i p.m., by squads, as follows: — "A" squad for instruction in musketry, ■mapreading, protection, sanitation. scouting. and general -efficiency. ~B" squad, for instruction and exa.minatioß for qualification for sergeant. *"C" squad, for instruction aDd examination for qualification for corporal. "I'" squad, to be attended by all lancecorporals for jusirnct and examina-Qon. The 0.-C. Kegimeni directs thai attendance a: the above classes is compulsory, and those X.CO.'i who do 1301. qualify will revert To the rant which they held prior to thfir ajipointmtcu "The standard of fitness in "the Dominion is a high one." states Colonel J. R. Purdy. Director of Medical Services, in an appencii attached to the defence report. "It would, however, be very much higher if there were not such a widespread neglect of lie ordinary hygiene of the mouth. The percentage of bad Teeth, and unclean mouths was a very large one in ultimate reject-ion of tiie recruits, yuite one-half were rejected because their teelh were in such a bad state, thus causing impairment of the constitution. The rejections in the British Army for loss or decay of teeth equal a per 1,000; here they total 120 per 1,000." The defence report states that taring the year 1311 25.085 Territorial recruits were medically examined. Of the&e CST were classified as unfit 10 serve during the current year, and 1.350 were rejected as medical; v urin:. For the service of Cadets 26.782 were examined, and 'MX, were classified as ■unfit for one year and 885* rejected as medically unit. The recruits "were rejected for the following causes: — Phyßi'.-allT disabled. 25 per cent; diseases of limes. 8 per cent; heart. 16 per cent: kidneys. ]j per cent: nervous system. 7 per cent: digestive system. 4* per cent: ears. 2 per cent: eyes. 7 per cent: defective vision. 15 per cent: deafness. '£ per cent: mentaiiy de-nr-ient, 1* per <* a ni : varicose veins. 7 per cent; Tery bad teeth and gums, -J* per cent. Territorials Id uniform travelling to drills, encampments-., and rifle contests may tra-rei by rail free on written orders from the officer commanding their districts. "VViinout such orders they -will (if in uniform i be allowed to travel at hwif return fare for either double or single journey. Speaking recently at a v.eliington gathering of Cadets and officers, the occasion being a social tendered to th*> V.M.C.A. Cadets. No. 31 Company. General -tjodiey aaid that tie Cadet? were on a very important job. and be ft-it sure that they would Co -.heir best for the movement, Many tiungs "would have to be done that perhaps they did not wifh to do. but that was so in any work of life.. If they took an interest in taeir work. &.s tiroe wen: on it wouid become more fabCiEatiug. He sf>ote of their on;----forms es beiiig very serviceable, and much more .-f.mforrable than the tight tuEjC. aui pressed a wisn that he wouid be able before very lons to see them st their drill. He wished to encourage th* tOys In their Cadet career, and hoped that every one of them wocid me_£e true e_iid loyaii citizen sakti'r. There can. say; a Southern paper. t>? "no question of an alteration in style of the senior cadet uniform. The uniform is thai worn by cadets in other parts of the Empire, and is, at once, when it tits, both serviceable pun Diio.jur»s.-iie. The b.uuse if i'"f ;ue sort that tiarlbaldis men wore when they f:eed Italy, and the £*o-much-despise<3 ••shorts" vrf. the uniform of the rojriTDeuts on &er-vK-e in India. The "short*?" are amongst the me*; comfortable garments thai have been devised, and axe the habitual wear of pupil? at some of the greatest schools in .England. It has been assed why the boys have not been supplied with tunics like the men'; Tie s-.a.-wf-r is obvious: & Tunic whica Sited a boy to-day would be burst :n each seam m s.x months" time. OeDeral Gndiey'e repor: on the first year's operaii'-n> <■! tic -f"" spireme of defence slow* list the resi>tr3tic'.-i of ail youths s\sUat>ie for training up to May ul has res-oited as follows.— Tern- -Senior Diwriit, t'jrial*. Cadets. Totals. AaciUnd T.««5 Ml* 3e,«53 Canterbury .__,.. ti.64+> 7.«13 1-5. -- Ota?o ..."._— — 6,«i»* 6.451 l-.i«a Weliicr-'i J , --"-' 3"--' : ' il£_l Totals- _ S&.tK'O ;xus<7 ei.raThe La:-g"K>Ti of Frontiersmen movement prows apace. Ihirin? lie week a large utini-tx-r of letters -»as received It the organosols tram ail parts of the Dominion. Atminp-T tcose who eni'olied was a veteran ■of nitny engasrements in the Maori War. one WTK- to aVproa-c-hinc tie three score years- and ten He emerged from the lush in lie K.ji= Coon-try. He is tale and hearty, and "still fcr-.eps bis eye in for viid carti-c" aric pig shooting in the bush. For hoc 2«? drfenie~iie is still useinl. and "wouid put some of. tie younger toacKbiocters tv s-tanie. Bel!? meeting at Te Kvtrti hss been produetiv-? of good results. Namerous tncuiries are being received '2y the local eeoretiry. and already up-wards of fifty men iiave signified tiieir intention of joining. Messrs J. M. Bans-cad OiaUmeii. David Bruce (Te Patau, and L. E. Brai-drwaiie O~e E-aic'i iave been appointed Legion secretaries man orgiJii—rs. Frontiersmen •willing to -unoertaie these duties in otier d:stnn& are requested to communicate with headquarters. The -man w4lo joins trie I-egi.-n of FrontSersmen pays inio the general fund a guinea a year, finds ills own uniform and a<fourremen:i ; . and places liiinse-if at ibe ser -ri, of tie Empire. In return he sets a fartiuD? receipt form, a fradsc ■wonii sixpence and the setiFfa'Tion which •■•omes Cpotu 'the tr-owlrdge that he i* not a lip-sr-rk-e patriot, but is prepa-red to give an equ'raies: servk-e to the Empire in return for tie benefits conferred upon Iwm whilst living trader British rule. The Froitaersman claiTm- no merit for offering -wiiat the State has a riirhi to <temfrnd fitness of every citizen " or tie last great gameDefence. Tt»e frontier camp is composed of aL sorts and conditions of men. and can a? a rule provide a trained man for i-ny service req-irrred. from the doctor to -welcome The baby. to thr parson t-o bury the dead. The versatility of the Frontiersman makes him a most "useful aqnisiri«n 10 the Army in time of war. .Already the Auckland Pis-tri<-t Cocnnaiid could provide a special service mat. for almost any duty required. The training of the Frontiersman will not be confined to the ordinary •military routine, but will ■!".? such as fits ihtm for The important -work of ecotrring. rf«c(mEaisßan<-e, srlrnalling. and g-aerilla taftics. Modem ■war is a -cross-cotmtry exer<ri&e. detnpnding gnaiificatiou? not required m the days of the Peninsula and ■Waterloo. The mobility and usefulness of the Frontiersmen M-cmJc! be los-i if tbpy irpre tied to 'the -wheels of the commissariat ■wagon. Pack horses •which can keep par* ■with the column on a forced merc-h win "i>t> -used for rhe transport of food srrppCes and quick-firing sruns. When the formation of the Waitaro and King Country scrcracroTis is con;p]« p d a forced march ■wii; •be made from Te Kuiti to Auckland, a di*tance of about 140 miles. All requirernen is for the trip w:l] be carried on the pack horse trains. A general "meeting of eH -wiio have signified their intention of joining -the Legion win be held in the Chamfber of Commerce HaC Auckland to-uignt. when an executive council will 'be set trp. ■ Expr-eEsions both of regre: and pleasure liirvp been T&adr by Taje>mt>er* of the L«egior! in the AnckJand Province during the past ■weet. Regret 2iat tie Hon. T2toe. Ma' kerns* and the Hon. Arthnr Myers (.-Minisxer of 'I>efei3cet. Trio rook Eccia a trndly interest ' in the formation of tie Itegkrn in tb-e Ate-k- i laud Province. hare. <rwfee to Tie exiretK-!"? of politics, had tso resim Sfreir poFrdons: pse£FO.re tiat PVontierscntD Wiriiera Massey, one xyf fhe first Atieklax«3 mein'bers, -will be Prime Minister of the Dominion. * " J