THE VOLUNTEERS,

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10786, 13 October 1900, Page 9

THE VOLUNTEERS,

A Mounted Rifle Corps has been formed at Geraldine. At the meeting called fc«r th* purpose, Colonel Bailey explained that the district over which the present South Canterbury Mounted Company was spread was too wid"e to allow men to meet w:th facility, and it wa3 thought wise to divide the ofd corps into two, one taking in Temuka and Geraldine from the Wasdidyke up and the oth«r Timaru and St. Andrews disA iuatch was fired on Saturday between the Kaiapoi and Rangiora Rifles, which resulted in a win for the former. The weather was perfect, but there were some complaints about the Government issue of ammunition. The following are the scores: —Kaiapoi —Sergeant Simpson 90, Sergeant Oram 85, Private Geering 79, Lance-Corpo-ral Whitley 78, Lance-Corporal Keetley 77, Private Brighting 75, Private Drabble 74, Lance-Corporal Pearce 72, Private Bentley 62 Private Templeton 58; total 750. Rangiora—Sergeant Tolputt 74, Sergeant Humphries 74, Private Mehrtens 69, Lance-Cor-poral Clark 69, Private Ayers 67, Sergeant De Troy 65, Lieutenant D'Auvergne 62. Private Efford 61, Private Rule 56, Corporal Downing 55; total 652. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles will do their annual volley firing and independent firing this afternoon at Bromley; The opening match for the Associated Corps' Challenge Shield takes place at Bromley this afternoon. Ten teams are on the programme for the match. The South Canterbury Mounted Rifles are encamped at Green Hayes. Captain Hayhurst has made as convenient arrangements as possible for the men, and has lent them a marquee ar.d % piano for their recreation. For camp purposes the following appointments have been made:—SergeantMajor Bisset to be acting lieutenant. Sergeant Bowie to be acting sergeant-major, and Corporal Armstrong to be sergeant. A meeting of those interested in the formation of a local artillery corps was held at the schoolhouse, New Brighton, on Thursda- night. The -*ayor (Mr C. H. Winny) occupied the chair. It was decided to make a fresh application to the Minister of Defence to allow the formation at New Brighton of the proposed corps, and that a list for intending members to sign should be placed at Mr Wyatt's store. Sergeant-Major H. Mclntosh. of the North Canterbury Mounted Rifles, has been elected Lieutenant in place of Lieutenant Moir. resigned.

The Kaiapoi Riiies are to go into camp on Monday. The camp of the Rangiora Rifles, on the Northern Agricultural Show Grounds, is being -well .attended. Drills are carried out under Sergeant-Major Fartbinst. A church parade, ia which the North Canterbury Mounted Rifles intend to join, ia to take place on Sunday, and in the afternoon tht attack wiM be practised near the camp.

A parade of the North Canterbury Battalion was held Teeterdar evening. The Battalion proceeded to Hagley Park, and on arrival were exercised in attack drill

with blank ammunition, afterwards marching, home via North Belt and- Colombo street. After the .parjute Major Day.presented Captain Oakes of No. 2 Company Native Rifles, Auckland, with * sixteen years' long service medal. In response to the request of the Government, Captain McGee has made a xe-offer of the Canterbury Scottish Rifles.

The Engineers held a Morris tube match yesterday evening, Present Members v Past, twenty-two men a eide. The Present Membera won by 58 points. A meeting of the Rifle Range Association was held yesterday evening. The Special Committee appointed to consider the question of markers for the range, recommended that each corps be charged a fired amount for the year, instead of each man contributing individually: £43 4s altogether would be wanted for paying the markers during the year, and, taking the number of corps as nine, each corps would have to pay 134 16b, which would be 43 a day for a team If a corps engaged its own marker it would cost £6 for the year. A corps requiring at any time an additional target would have to pay 5s extra for it. The delegates were instructed to place the scheme before their companies. The Chairman (Captain Creewell) reported that Lieutenant Fisher, Colour-Sergeant Adams, and Sergeant Pavitt had been ekcted as delegates from the Civil Service Rifle Corps.