VOLUNTEERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 158, 28 March 1908, Page 6

VOLUNTEERS.

POST AND TELEGRAPH RIFLES. The annual meeting of the SYellington Post and Telegraph Rifles':was held in the Long Room, General Post Office, last evening, Captain'C. B. Harfcon, Officer-commanding,'.pre--siding. ' There was'a-good attendance : of members. . - , , - . Tho tenth annual;.report of.'.the company stated t that there had been recorded, another successful; year,, both; as regards'numerical strength and. efficiency.. '. Capitation--was earned' by seventy .'mombers;.';. -During- the year seventeen men:, were enrolled,' twelve: discharged, and - two on • tho reserve'.' Tho' strength of- the,company ;at the closo_ of tho year .was seventy-two; ■ y.. ' The financial position of the company must be. regarded as l satisfactory,' despite■ the' fact that it .is' still' burdened" with 1 the/debt", incurred through.the. Battalion": having decided to adopt full ' dress, uniform. '■.It -is -anticipated that'the debt will be-'extinguished in a little over -two years, . but,. the most rigid economy must be, observed, to . enable.; this result to bo achie'ved.. The statement of'receipts and; expenditure showed' that a "credit' balance ;of £6 105.2 d. was carried forward from. last .ypar; . the receipts during , the' year 'amounted' to' £345 14s. 9d.,' a total on the credit, side of £352 45., lid. The expenditure amounted to £337 10s. 6d., leaving-a credit'balance';, to carry forward, of £14 14s. ;sd. ' The -balance of assets over liabilities was; set-down'at-£122 iTs. 2d.Tho attendance at parades-left;much.to bo desired. . : .■ , Through the . indefatigable efforts' of Sergeant Hulbert, the small band of enthusiasts constituting the signalling section has established an enviable record for hard practice and efficiency. At the Palmerston .-.Tournament,., on November 11, tho te'am came a close second in the competition;' and at the examination held at the Drillshed on January 23, twelve men were, examined and qualified for badges and £1 grants', with, the following remarkable percentages':—-;Three;iyith 100' per cent.,- seven with 98.7 per" cent;', one" with 97,4 per cent., and one with 95; por cent.—an average of' 98.6 per cent;',-' ,' Sympathetic reference,,is made in; the report to the death ,of SurgeontCaptain-Logan, which took place in London; on December 31 last. Surgeon-Captain j Logan';was 'deeply interested in the welfare of ,tho corps.' Captain Morris, to whom tho prosperity' and; general efficiency of tho;company, : 'was;due, liad;boon, obliged, for private.reasons,;to relinquish his command. At the special meeting to elect Lieutenant Hartoh; ;to fill thev position, Captain' Morris' was made an honorary captain and' life- member- of thb.'corps;' '.J ', V' • Though '.tho purchase ;Df;- the scarlet. uniforms crippled ; tlie:.finance of the "company ,to such an extent, it >vas pleasing. to 'record the fact that,"on the occasions on which' it;'is worn','"the, men i have a soldier-liko and smart 'appearance; which-' seems harder- ■to '.attain when .clothed in-, the' more, sombre'.arid ■ ser"viceable khaki.;, The. annual , report, of the' Shooting Committco showed that the Company had maintained its efficiency; ■" A: programme of 'prize competitions was drawn up at the commencement of the season ;i907-8, and competitors were classified in two divisions, A: and 'B. All matchcs' were fired at Trentham, an average 'attendance!of'Bo'being recorded;. - Tlie Company's, Belt was won by _Private H. -C- Jones, with-an averago of inners." for . the five-matches fired. It is nbted' tha't Private-Jones won? the- belt>with the' same averafss the; previous: year. ' Tho v runner-up wa's'.-Sergeant' Gilbert, , with' ari; aggregate ,of ,one 1 point less than the; winner. The Hallensteiii'- Cup was w6n by Private Hamilton, whose aggregate'was'232. points.' The run-n.ers-up were Private -.Withers';. • (229), .and. Sergeant Gilbert (228). The Corps- was represented ■ at. the New Zealand RiQe'Meeting' at Trentham this, year by Sergeants jWakelin. apd Gilbert; Corporal Williamson, 'and Private Jones. Serge'aht Gilbert fired Jrito 'the;prizo "list six . times, scored two possibles in tlje: service matches, and tied with six others: for. the Kynoch Cup.- The Corps; team:came ninth on. the list in 'the Champion Teams' MatcL bejiting-twenty-two teams.k . ' ■ • .. At the fifing for tho Government prize- 1 mohey at Trentham on January 22,-the ",P and.T's." took a leading place, and carried off jtho, Battalion Shiold for .the season-1907-1908,\ this being the-second time ;the corps ■ has'-been awarded the trophy. l " " • THe junior, .team _;also? won" the .Garrison Junior Shield in the teams' matches con'ductcd during the season. In tho/inter-postiil match the Wellington team camo third, the aggregates being > ... . • - Points. i'Sydney. : Wv:..900 ;- . , ; Molbourne. ;...'; 890; V. ; v ... .Wellington . . .. ... 838 - London " ... , ... • ■ 836 Tho following are. the results of the, Com-; pany's,;trophy, competitioi),s,:rr', ,-V CLASS A. Company . Bolt and • gold medal • Private Jones. . • . -v' ■-. Captam Morris's - trophy; Sergeant Gilbert. ' • ' > " • Entrance fees: N.Z.D.R.F.A., Corporal Williamson. , -.V' . Sergeant Milne's trophy, Private W. A. Smith. . ■ ~ . H I'lallcnstein Cup, Private Hamilton. i Cash prizes:—Sergeant Wakelm, 15s. 6d.; Private- Withers, 10s/; .Corporal' Eagles, -Privates Churches, H. D. Smith, and Cox,.ss. each CLASS B Junior aggregate trophies (£1 163.), Pn.vato Gamblo. , Cash prizes:—Private Harnss, 10s.; Sor- • geants Harris. and. Hulbert, ; Privates Knells, Humphrey, and Pearce, ss. each. - . /CIVIL SERVICE RIFr.ES> : The annual, meotrng of the Wellington Civil Service Rifles was held m tho- company's- orderly • room at tho . Contral Drill Shed last evening,- Captain ;:W. G. '. Wrayjj 0.C.) presiding. ' ■ The annual; report showed that' ■ tho • finVarices of, the compauy ,wero m..a satisfactory condition, the balance- of assets over iia-' bilities being set down, at £250. , . , , . Of. tho debt' for uniforms, £180,. amounting to two-thirds of! the'total liability, had been paid off, and; it was expected that the balance would be- cleared 'off in less than a year: ' Full and undress -uniforms and great-coats had now beeii supplied to members. ; ....

The enrolled strength was, 65 members, all of whom had earned capitation. The strength last year was 67. Parades had been well attended during the year; and the officer commanding offered his congratulations to tho men for their' enthusiasm in the work of tho. corps.. , J The congratulations of the company were extended to . Lieut. F. B. Mabin, formerly of. the .'staff, on his promotion as Pay and Quartermaster Captain. on the, Battalion staff. .' .v - ■ i.: • The, company was represented, at'the military tournaments at Palmerston and'Napior, and acquitted itself with credit, in tflie physical drill and bayonet exercise events; The first church parado in tho history of the company was held during the year. ' The snooting of the men still, leaves' much to be desired, although steady progress' has been made, several of. the company competitions, during the season. being keenly contested: "' "■■■ Captain Wray, having received notice of transfer to Groymouth, lias resigned his command. ".Captaiii .Wray joined' the.'.corps in 1903, .as Lieutenant, aiid 'was promoted .to tho .Captaincy- tlio, following year,'' in succession' to Captain Turnbull. :In . token of appreciation the company' haspresented:'its' departing.' ;': skipper" ' with •' arir'enlarged photograph of• its'-meinWrs.:'"'OiptainvP,-;8.-Mabin.: made the presentation, in the unavoidable absenco of Lieutenant Marshall; Tho corps has- a vacancy: for a subaltern officer.'