DEFENCE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 207, 29 August 1912, Page 8

DEFENCE NOTES.

(Br H_F__3£A9U •It la reported that the recent prosecutions of unruly members of tb.e Dytteiton Senior Cadets, and the reading of the notification that similar unpleasant results would follow any further foolishness, has had a onderfully good resultThe behaviour of the lads at the last two parades is -aid 'by -the officers to have been admlrahle. and It is helieved that the fairly long-standing trouble la ended. There will be no parade of No. 1 Company Garrison on Friday night at Drill Hall Members- who have not received new uniforms will parade at B.L. yard, Devonport, at S p.m. The "detention" which ia to replace imprisonment for those who commit offences under the Defence Act is another form, ot Imprisonment, with the difference that the offenders will be segregated from criminals aud breakers of other laws of the land. Further, the "detained" will not 'be put to "hard labour," In the shape of breaking stones and other useful works of that nn.ture, but will probably spend their time, under the direction of Instructors, In performing those drills the non-accomplish-ment of which has been responsible for their detention. The present artillery time fuse, in which the time of flight Is measured by the burning of a ring of composition, Is a scientific anachronism which ought to be as obsolete an Kln-g Alfred's candle clock (says "The Army and Navy Gazette"). Of the many devices invented -to replace it, one of the best is Messrs Krupp's clockwork fuse, which is claimed to be twenty per cent more accurate. The Spanish artillery have recently tried 100 of these fuses, with such good results that they have ordered a further 2000. and propose. if the trials are equally successful, to equip the whole of their artillery with them. Though the mechanical fuse Is more expensive, 1t Is pointed out that it Improves tbe Arc-effect of artillery hy twenty per cent. This Is equal to the result obtained by putting twenty per cent more men, horses and guns Into the firing line nt nn expense compared to -which a few shillings extra ou the price of the fuse Is insignificant. Tbe Karamu troop of tho A Squadron, 4th (Waikato) M.R.. -went Into camp on the 17th, IStn, and l!>th Inst., on Mr David Brace's farm at Te Pnhu. All lhe members of the troop were accounted for except one man. who was . absent through Illbealth. Two members on the reserve of the squadron also attended the camp. StaffInstructor Coleman was In camp as instructor. The troopers dispersed to their homes very well pleased with their first week-end camp. It Is Intended to hold another 1-n the future, as tlie men recognised the value of the continuous training, which nlso enabled them to put in their parades at n time suitable to their employers and themselves. Recently gazetted appointments Include the following:—3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rill 2nd Lieutenants 8. C. Ashton and M. Aldred, to be lieutenants; 2nd Lieutenants W. H. Walters and E. W. Lucas, to he absorbed Into the establishment. 6th (Haurakl) Regiment: 2nd Lieutenant C. S. Algle to be lieutenant. Captain 'H. J. l'earse has been transferred from the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Corps to the 6th (Hauraki) .Regiment. The Rev. P. T. Fortune. 4th class Chaplain, Iras been promoted to the rank of Chaplain, 3rd class 2nd Lieutenant Charles Given has been appointed to service with the Senior Cadets, and is posted to No. 48 Com_-my, Mntamata Senior Cadets. The Minister for Defence notifies to tbe last "Gazette" -"that his Dxcellency the Governor has been pleased to accept the services of the Thames Defence Rifle Clnb, with headquarters at Thames, In the Auckland -Military District. The following books and publications have been received In the Auckland Military Library:— "The Statesman's Year Book," "Imperial Monthly Naval List," "Commonwealth Military Journal for July," aud "Royal Engineer Journal." A supply of the "rexuia under which commissions In the British Regular Army may be obtained by oflicons of the military forces of the self-governing dominions ana Crown colonies" has been received at Auckland District Headquarters, and copies will be forwarded to officers on application. Qmrrtermastcr-Sergeant H. D. Baddiley, N.Z. Permanent Staff, has been transferred from the 4th (Walka-to) Mounted Rifles. Hamilton, to the 15th (North Auckland) Regiment, Whangarei, wtth effect from 27th August. It has been brought to the notice of the O.C. District that transfers are being carried out in the district from one unit to another without tbe knowledge of the Group Officer concerned. A district order intimates that when it is desired to transfer any Individual from one unit to another in the district, the O.C. the Group must be apprised of the fact before the transfer tabes place, and similarly when transfers take place to units outside the Auckland District. The headquarters of Section B, No. S Mounted Field Ambulance, will be transferred from Hamilton to Dargaviße as from Ist" September, 1912. Captain W. li. Horton, N.Z.M.C., will take irge of the above section. An offending Territorial told Mr W. G, Kenrick, S.M., in Stratford the other day that he worked from 5 a.m. .till 8 p.m. every day. He also explained that he had late.y smashed his hand with a gun. One womrers when be found time to handle a gun. The Legion of Frontiersmen continues to make rapid strides in tbe Auckland District, where large numbers are enrolling, and numerous inquiries continue to arrive at headquarters from all parts of the -Dominion. The District Co_-n__da_t, Colonel Allen Bell, retuTned from the HelensviUe and Dargaviße districts last week. During the tour he addressed several meetings and enrolled a larger number of Frontiersmen. There are capable Frontiersmen all through tbe bosh camps of the Far North. The Executive again deatre to make it perfectly clear that it Is a cardinal principal of the 'Legion in enrolling members, and establishing commands, to avoid all interference with the Territorial Forces. Only those debarred, by age or other disability from joining the Territorials wHI be allowed to become members of the Legion. During the past week effective work has been dene by Captain W. J. Wheeler, c_let organiser for tbe Auckland District, who has been on an official visit to the Rotorua end of the district. So far something over 600 men have joined at the Auckland headquarters. T_eir average age is 35 years. About 400 of them have seen active service or had a military train big. About 50 have held commissions In I—c regular or auxiliary forces, and about 250 of them hold decorations won In a dozen or more campaigns. About 40 of them hold decorations won under foreign flags. They constitute one of the flwsi bodies of fighting men to be found in any pert of the Empire. A large number of them are a wandering, restless class of man, who have tasted of the excitement of life on the frontier, and are ready for anything that comes along. During the early part of September Colonel Bell will again visit the North, and will lecture at W-angarei, Kawakawa, Russell, Whang-roa. and Kaeo in the interests of the Legion. Arrangements are also -being made for Captain Oolbecfc, ChiefStaff Officer, who Is also an effective plat- . form speaker, to undertake a series of lectures. The Executive Council is arranging for complete records of the personal qualification for service in the field of all executive members of the Legion with a view to submitting them to the a-tborities should necessity or emergency arise. AUhouch -fane egion is new and young In New Zealand, Its organisation and methods have appealed to the very class of frontiersmen whom It desired to organise, and it has already done more to develop the Idea of a citizen army in the minds of the people than any movement Jtetta* btauzto ___&,«__*