WITH THE ATTACKERS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13094, 20 April 1908, Page 4

WITH THE ATTACKERS.

A NIGHT MARCH.

The scheme whioh'the invading force had to develop proved one of thp most interesting and tactful manoeuvres that has been suggested in connection with Easter encampments for some years past. Colonel Mackenzie's force left Motukarara at 5.15 on Friday evening, a party of the Cyclis>t scouts, the baggage transports and the whole of the mounted brigade proceeding as far as Tai Tapu via the Lower Lincoln xoad, where the first named wer. divided! into sections, and, accompanied by th* mounted division, patrolled all the roads as far as Pre-bbJoton. The

infantry were ordered to proceed along, the railway line to the Qreenp-ark road. They started out at a j-*;ood steady pace, but.the service conditions appearedto-tell eeverely on them, for several began to teil off before reaching the Tailway bridge over the Halswell river.- This was successfully negotiated, anc{ after various hr" th? foroe arrived, ft the locality ir. 4_9> d. Here a traction engine with Si ■ alleys Htaabed awaited their, arrival, and after boarding it th© last stage of the trek was commenced. After passing through Greenpark a fine misty rain est in, which did not mako tiresituation less uncomfortable, but the men bore their hardship exceedingly well, and few complaints wero mado. About a mile from Lincoln the wholo o- the force jurictioned, but after passing through this township it was again deemed advisable to separate, the" transport and mounted companies proceeding . via Springs and Marsh's roads, and the infantry transport along Shand's Toad. ' Transport troubles were experienced shortly after Lincoln was left behind, a wheel coming off a van attached to the traction engine, which caused considerable delay. It wa6 raining fairly heavily when the accident occurred and the situation was not at all inviting. However, the matter was rectified and the force junctioned again before re-aching Pouud's road, whero tho site for the camp had been •■-elected. The invaders had just reached the camping ground when somo shooting was heard in the roar, a "quad "of the Cust Mounted Rifles (defenders) having, come upon the attacker-; just too late. The mounted division coon had a Maxim iv position and tho Cust Mounted Rifles were forced to retreat. After a few tents had been erected Colonel Mackenzie decided to proceed towards' the city, and his force was ordered out- again. After consultni.g with his officers, however, he decid-ed to let the men turn in for tho remainder of the night.

AT FORT JERVOIS. " After the attack on Fort Jervois on Friday night, matters wero unusually quiet,"and no further sign of the enemy was seen by the outposts, who kept a good watch. On Saturday morning the members of the Royal New Zealand Artillery in camp at the fort, completed their annual class-firing, which had been partially carried out on Friday. The officers of tho volunteer companies wero de-tailed as scrutineers to give them practical instructionJn the firing instead of their being merely onlookers. The firing was done with tho Gin and the Bin B.L. guns at exceptionally long ranges, in order to specially test the efficiency of the ammunition. The six-pounder Nordenfeldt iguns wero also fired from. Targets were towed, in tho harbour at varying ranges, and in all classes very good shooting was made. Afterwards a detachment of officers was made up to enable them to hold instructional practice in service firing with tho six-pounder Nordenfeldt quick-firers, and here again good shooting was done. Later on Colonel Cooper and Major Hufme went out to the hilly ground at the rear of the fort, and placed targets at unknown* ranges for field firing. For this practice, the details were under the* command of Captain Foster, and the work consisted in advance and attack on the tarsete, which. were at unknown ranges: Fair shooting was done. An officers' squad was also arranged; and went through the 6ame work. *