DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 14

DEFENCE NOTES.

COJnNG EVENTS. South Island Rmo .Association lifting, at llcdchffs, Christchurch, Feb. 28, 29, and March 2. : . .. "Wairarapa Riflo . Association Mooting,. .at Papawai, Greytown, Marcn 2 and, 6.., Defence Forces R.A.; Meeting commences at Trontbam, March o. - ■Napier Military Tournamei|ft,.MaTch,o. Tho ranges and,.targots_ for. to-day's.,shoot-, j ing'at Trenthani aro as folln*»s. Seddon Range, 900 and lOOQyds.-Petono Riflo Club; 1,"2 and 3; D Battery, 4 Guards, 6 and 7, Post and Telegraph Rifles, 8, 1 !) and '10; Zealandialtifles, 11 and If, Oity Riiilos/13,-14 and 15. .. T r nl _ v Sommervillo Rangc r 6oo and '9® y 4 s burno Rifles, 2, Hntt Valley Rifles, 3 and 4. Sparo targets, 5 and 6. nlv l _ . Collins Range, 200, oQO and MOvds ■Karori Riflo Club; 18,19, 20 and 21, Hi„n land Rifles,' 22 and 23;.C0l ego Rifles, ,21, Guards,;2s. Sparo targets,. 16 and . U. ... , : ;.v March-4 is fixed as .-the dato -.of. quarterly - military examination, of otocors ' throughout tho Dominion. .. .- • Tho latest' District. Order.. ;',recbras_' that "Lieutenants 6. -S. .Willis J v A- •-, w lees, att.iched to tho Johnsonvil e HiHc! " passed 'the qualifying examination entithiig ■ them to - proficiency certificates and com. missions. No 3 Battalion, Wellington Public School Cadets will go into.camp-: tor a week at tho old racecourse, Lower Hutt, on Tuosdaj, February 18. Major Burlmson, OO , «ni bo in charge, and there will. be m.oamp the following company ; units —Petone, Lower Hutt, Otaki, Levin, Wereroa Training rarni> and Johnsdnville - School Cadets. ,r;.Sho«ld the'present spell of. fine weather ' camp should bo a' great success. Ma or V Bu'rlinson'-is 'a keen-. enthusiastern e .cadet movement, and tho work of the camp will bo followed by the public wit-h considerable • interest. ' Officers commanding companies aro requested to see" that 'district. - wders, . when read, are posted up or filed in somei placo, • . where they' will ' bo available for reference , by all concerned. . I Cadet' corps armed with M.E. carbines may, now obtain Morris-tubes with rod, brush | and key complete for . £1, on application - ..through"the JDistrict.Officer.. ~ ;■ i ; -The South Island Rifle-Association'sfourth - annual ' prize meeting, which will take place on February 28 and 29 : 2, pro- '■ mises to«bo a,great-success , Bull s- : eyo"). Already., entries aro - being ; receiye^l. 'Hie Union Steamship .-Company has_decided • - to grant 20 per cent; reduction m- fares to : bona . fide -competitorsV on .production. of _ a : certificate- 1 or. -receipt for entries .signed ;, by ■ the honorary ';. secretary; of • I the . Association.. ,- Keen , competition is -exiiected : in. the VVal^' - -kinson; .Challenge Shield,"'and 1 the present 1 ■ holders, the Green-Island 'Rifles,, intend to .' bring 1 their; best iteam.' v : The corps_ , hopes.. to retain possession :the shield. .. Derence .' Cadets are notified that the entry for tlieir : team-match'is 2s. Gd. per team,-and-that '•}> only .carbines are to be -used by ..them.- -A large number of local 'Volunteer officers have .:. promised their services.,as rango officers., during-* the -meeting, • thereby doing, away .with ' the necessity of coihpetitors 'being called upon .to .take.'thosb''duties. ■ Competitors-are rcminded that entries will ' close on February 22. '

;. " There seems to .be some doubt as.fyo.whetier, the statement.- made ..by, the .Committee; of the Wairarapa ' Rifle Association to,'.the elfect'that local men will be able'to. compete • ■ at;^the : forthcoming''meeting- of the South .Island Rifle Association at Redcliffs, ( Christ- % church; on February 28, . 29, and March 2, .•and at - the"' same;- ,time :\take ■. !part ; .in all matches'on the progr'amme for the "Wairarapa . meeting, i which; commences on Monday, ' : March 2 is.correct.. In, order to :cover the ' full . programme ; of 'the Greytown meeting,■ Monday would,.: on. the face of it, ' require to.. ;bo. cut .'out of tho . -, Christchurch meeting ~as -: far '.'.as; .tho ■ Wellington < men were . concerned. The official programme for the Southern, meeting does not appear to support the statement, of, the Wairarapa ; it expressly : states that matches 9 (Public' School Cadets), and 11 (Service Match)/will be fired'on Friday -afternoon, '.February 28, and that matches 6 : (Nursery Match),- 7. : (Champion Teams' Match), 8 10, (Defence;. Cadets; Matches), will be fired-on Saturday. .That -is, -out of the,whole eleven matehes, : six will, bo . dealt with 'during the first two days, leaving, • presumably, the other" five, which are open ' to all comers, for Monday,- March 2.- Had . tho time-table been arranged the' other way round,- it would have suited .the, Wellington .'men. ■ ' As ;it. is, however,-.the posi-: . i tion gives tho Wairappa Association an opportunity of explaining how it' can be done.: It- is understood that Rifleman . 'D. M'Calley, winner of - the . West Australia .Championship,''will.- be. a competitor; at. jtho. South Island Rifle Association's meeting lit • Redclills, Christchurch, on .February 28, 29, , and "March 2. Mr. Anderson 'has . been.:., elected- actinglieutenant; on'the- staff 'of . the' Wellington Highland ,Rifles; the company expects to bo fully staffed before Easter. Spekking .of : tho Highland Rifles, members of this corps . and .the Pipe Band ;are,reminded; of the;;fact ithat the Thistle Football Club relies upon them for-their patronago 1 and-support. \ " ' ■ The' Wellington Pipe Band have' now '£100 in\ hand for .the new uniforms -which have . been ordered for the pipers. ■ It is' proposed to. hold.;a,grand concert .in the Town. Hall v " Room on March 13, where the ;uni-, ■ form/fuhd,'is expected : to, bo considerably augmented.., There is room for .four .'new members in the band. . ; . " Tho Highlanders will iappear at'tho-Easter-manoeuvres. uniformed, ; for the first time, in khaki tunics,:,'.tartan...trfews,:. putties, and . pith ihelmets',' .thus;, complying.;with -the-eon-mtions of active' service.. This is a-very wise decision,; for, without' detracting in any way from ; tho effectiveness'of the-sinking full dress Highland costume, it- is'.obvious ■ .that; the; '.'kilty": when thus i.arrayed,- is more, a hindrance than 'a .help to tho bdtta- , lion. .i- i .- ! Tho annual cricket' match between teams . T'epreseiiting the Headquarters Staff; and.tho • Defence Stores Department was/played on the Recreation Ground, ■ Lower Hutt, recently. A large number of friends, tempted by the fine, weather, accompanied the players', and the-outing; was thoroughly'enjoyed. The "Stores" wont out 'to", field, at the op'en- : ' ing, and finally disposed of "Headquarters" when 330 runs had been compiled. "Stores" wont in, : but their luck;,was out, 79 runs being the 'result; of their efforts.;with the ,bat. : . 1 They followed' on, 'but .' tho time-limit was against them, . and tho. match closed with a victory for "Headquarters", by .233 runs. . Tho principal scorer's wero Mabin, 121 (retired), Hume, 69, and; Hughes, 58. The party lunched at Bellcvuo Gardens, and amongtho guests present wore the Hon. 1 R: M'Nab, Acting-Minister for Defence, Colonel Collins, V.D., and Colonel Webb. ' '■ There has been issued., by-the: National Service League, London, a little book : entitled "Tho Briton's First Duty,''; in ;which is outlined tho-caso for universal military training,'with a preface by Lord Roberts. Part 1 deals with the present position of Great Britain, the. Army, the-Navy, the problem of invasion, and'thefattitude of foreign powers. Part 2-:enlarge's: .upoh'the "justicc and necessity of compulsory training. Part 3 indicates the programme of tho League part 4 • enumerates: tho advantages' to be .gained by the adoption of a system of.universal training, : and the objections ar( summarised in Part 5. The price of th( book is 6d:, and is certainly worth readinj by overyone who takes an intelligent jnteres in tho defenco of his country.