THE SOUTH CANTERBURY CAMP.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12480, 17 April 1906, Page 9

THE SOUTH CANTERBURY CAMP.

Th© Timaru " Herald, - ' in its account of Saturday's manoeuvres at Fairlie, state- that at 10 a.m., in ideal weather, the brigade, under Colonel Mackenzie, moved out to tho ground selected for field firing.. Lieutenant Andrews having previously arranged ivets of targets at the foot of tne lulls for the battery, Maxim, mounted men, and infantry. The rifle targets tor long range tiring represented a line ot five men kneeling in extended order, and for the snorter ranges down to 500 Yards, 13 head and shoulder targets "representing men extended and Wing down. The battery fiieu at a target representing three men in li.ie. Tho dummy enemy being loca ed, the line was halted at about 4000 yards and the mounted troops on the extreme richt, moved off under Major Hayhurst, opening tire at 1200 yards and advancing to .300 in good style. Altogether they fired 600 rounds, making _1 hits, a 3..a per cent, result. The galloping Maxim under Captain Wain, then came into action at the same range, but the gun worked very faultily, continually jamming and affecting the tiring which was made at separate target.. Though the ground in front of those were well ploughed up there wero no hits recorded. Next, the battery, under Lieutenant Stead, advanced spiritedly,- their Miiaxt lnaniKT of getting into action rousing -rreat interest among tho infantry who followed tlie effect of the fire to a man. They opened at '2115 yards, tiring 10 rounds, and then advancing to 1000 yards, repeated this performance. Tlio guns wore well handled, and the shooting made was very good. At the long range four shells were sent clean through "the target, which was also struck by 34 shrapnel balls at the shorter range. As with all the ranges at which infantry fired the light was bad, tho men being in the sunlight and the targets in the t-hodow. Nevertheless the artillery made hits with .M shrapnel bullets and the ground in the vicinity of the targets win, stripped of turf and ploughed up hy the sheilc

.At 3 p.m. tho infantry, under Major B-okingham and acting-Major Sv-mvartz advanced, and opened with volleys at 1000 yards, this _-.-ing altered to 1100 alter a conpie of rounds. The ground was of such a nature that tlie effect of the fire oould not be easily noticed, but .i. *i >r Beckingham made good and rapid corrections, which were parsed along the line to tlie flanks.

Tlio Geraldine Rifles, nnder Captain Montgomery, were particularly noticeable ,ii the attack. Their officer at eiich range picked the best ligh ed ard most cunspictious targets on the range with a very decided result that was

shown; when the particular target* were examined. No. 4 company (Port Guard-) fired the volley to test the range. When, the infantry targets were examined it was seen t_iat 69 hit- were regi-tered, and 179 on the short range, mating a total of 248 hits for 6050 rounds of ammunition expended—a 4 per cent, result. Some of t'he targe---. were badly riddled, while others bore bairely any marks.

Independent firing was carried on, the trcops gradually advancing to oOOyds. At thus range tho effect of the continuous discharge of musketry along a frontage of about half a mile was very fine. The fire control, which waa fair when the action commenced, improyed grea.iiy as it proceeded. The ground was scored wiih furrows made by the bullet- during file day. Colonel Jowsey (chief umpire), Captains Richardson, Jackson, Cuttea, MoGee, and Lieutenant Ormrsby, followed the various firing lines, watching every detail of the work. They will present a report to General Babiugton.

Tlie hardest worked man of the day was Lieutenant Andrews, of the Ohriistchurch Engineers, who arranged all the details in connection with the placing of the targets, wild the estimation of the resultfi. The Engineer officers, by tJiieir energetic lalxntrs, earned the wannest prai-o from all in camp.