N BATTERY ARTILLERY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8717, 13 February 1894, Page 3

N BATTERY ARTILLERY.

The annual meeting of the N Battery of Artillery was held at the orderly room, Lyttelton, on Friday evening. Captain Mclntyre presided. There was a good attendance of memK-ra. The balance shee', showed a credit balance of £72 7s Id with a balance of assets over liabilities of £246 7a Id. The ; capitation earned for 1883 amounted to £148 10s as against £90 for the previous year. Captain Mclntyre in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet con. gratulated the Corps upon the satisfactory Btate of the finances. While, however, fifty-nine men out •. of sixty had' earned capitation the interest in volunteering was not what it was, aud it had only been' by sheer hard work on the part of the officers and non-commissioned officers that such good results had been obtained. He regretted that more interest was not taken by the outßide public iv volunteering, but -urged the members ,oi the Corps to hang together a little Jongei in the hory that the Government would either do its duty and place them on a better footing or else abolish tho service, and prevent it becoming, what it shortly would do, a perfect farce. Tho Battery had 1 not done well in the volley and independent firing, but against that the majority of the hien last'year made themselves proficient in gunnery, aud twenty men passed as efficient gunners (as against thirteen the previous year), and earned the, badge and £1 extra grant, some easting £2 for two years. "Four men were this year entitled to nine years' service badge, two to six years', and two to three years', and four men to badges. The* thanks of the Battery were due to Sergeant-Major Purvis of the t District Staff, Sergeant-Major Wardle Bony badier Knight of the Permanent Artillery for their careful instruction during the past "year.?\-"' ; ; ; -, The following officers were then made:— Hon. Treasurer, Sergeant Smith; Hon. Secretary, Sergeant Suiter (re-elected); General Committee, Sergeant-Major Arnold, Sergeant Carcell. Corporal Baker, Gunners Schollar' and Bell; Firing Committee, Sergeant-Major Arnold, Sergeants .Smith and Carrell, Gunners Beil, Beazley, Barnes, Schollar, Sowden, and Taylor. It was made a special recommendation to . the Firing Committee that the question of a Champion Belt for the best shot in the Battery be obtaioed. C a Ptain Mclxtyre referred with regret to the resignation of Sergeant Arnold from active service, as he was one of the best non-com's in the district, and had been untiring for many years as Treasurer of the corps. He movedr-" That, in addition to being placed on the reserve, Sergeant Arnold be elected a life hon. member of the Battery and presented with his uniform, and a hearty vote of thanks be recorded on the minutes for the many valuable services rendered to the Battery." This was carried unanimously. Several new members were elected, and the meeting terminated with the usual votes of thanks.