THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 169, 10 April 1908, Page 8

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

NEW ZEALAND

WELLINGTON ENGINEERS WIN THE CHALLENGE SHIELD. Th<l Challenge Shield competition for the N.Z. Engineer Volunteers has been won this year by No. 5 Company (Wellington). The runners-up were tho Duuodin Engineers. The Shield is awarded on tho percentage of marks gained at the annual examinations of the various companies held (luring their camps of instruction. The examining officer was Lieutenant Smythe, R..N.Z:E. Last year' the Shjeld was won by tho Wellington Submarine Mining Corps, which has now, in accordance with a general scheme mapped out by the Defence'authorities, been merged into a Garrison Electric Light Corps. ° J-" 10 Shield was presented to the No. 5 Company by Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop, C.M.Gi (Ofncer Commanding the District) after parade last evening. Captain T. W. M'Donald, Assistant Adjutant-General, was also present., , ; . In presenting the Sl/iold, Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop congratulated tho Company on the excellent work it had done during the year, their results, and those of the Submarine I Aimers the previous year, showing that in Wellington they had an-engineer corps which was second to none in New Zealand. Lieutenant Fitzgerald, officcr commanding the Company, briefly replied. In the course of his remarks he referred to a rmicb-nccded accessory to the_ Company's equipment, namely, a searchlight apparatus for field It was due to Lieut.-Colonel Bauchop's assistance that such an apparatus would be available, if it could be procured ill time, for use at the coming manoeuvres. A complete equipment would cost something like £150, and lie hoped the Department would bo able to seo its way eventually to do something in tho matter. EASTER MANOEUVRES. - The Royal A T ew Zealand Artillery will encamp at Mahauga Bay for the whole of Easter week. . ' Nos. 1 and 3 Companies'(Voluntcers) will join the Permanent. Artillery on tlie Thursday preceding Good Friday. , The Petono Navals will encamp oil tho site of tho iiew fort at Dorset Point, Seatoim, with a battery of quick-firing guiis. Colonel Campbell has been notified that a f r.-rco of infantry (two Companies) will be placed at his disposal for theprotection of the-forts from'land , attacks. . FortKolburne, at Ngahauranga,wiil not'bo manned during the manoeuvres, as the battery is not equipped with searchlight apparatus, and - therefore quite usojp'ss for night practice. It- is hoped that this much-needed equipment will be installed at no distant date, as the Pctone Navals aro debarred, throughout the year, from practising riight work at their instructional parades. ; \Major Mackintosh, in command of the First Battalion Wellington Rifle. Volunteers; has issued his orders in regard to falling in, baggage, etc. ■ Tho battalion, less J Company, will fall in at tho central drill-shed on Tliursday, April i 6 ,: at 7.45 p.m./to proceed to Johnsonville. All baggago must bo at the drill-shed and ready 'to go on tho wagon at 7 p.m. • r ■ . ' 1 ' : ROYAL NAVAL, .RESERVE. Wellington members of the Royal Naval Reservo and Fleet Reservo mil be required during tho next few weeks to go on board H.M.S. I'ioneer for their, annual course of instruction. .Tho Pioneer as oxpectod to arrivo in Wellington this month. • She will afterwards visit Auckland, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers to enable tho reserve men at those ports to put in tho annual service prescribed by the Admiralty. Stokers, aro required to undergo twenty-ono days' drill during-tho first year and fourteen ■ days' in each of tho remaining four, years' of tlio term. In ' tho caso of seamen tho . drill period is. twenty-eight days annually. There are about twenty Royal Reservo men ;in Wellington, . but, only' too 'orHhree fleet w sorve men. *. . • HERETAUNGA RIFLES. At a meeting held in Hal! on Wednesday evening,' Captain Samuel, commanding tho Heretaunga Mounted Rifles, received tho names of some twenty men desirous of joining tho proposed Petonei and Hutt troop ,of tho corps. 1 Tho Mayor, Mr. Peterkin,. presided at tho'- meeting, and intimated his intention of>,offering a .silver cup, to bo presented to the most efficient member of tlie new troop each'year.'• TEAMS' MATGH. ■ ' snccial train, will rru *o; Trsntham on Saturday, to convey the shoot-' ing men'to the big teams' match,' "'Volun-' toors v.. Rifle v Clubs."- The. train w<ll loavo Wellington at 1.40, p.m., and Trentham on the.return journey, af 6 p.m. A number of corps will take'advantage of the running of tho trains to go out totho range 'to..complete somo of their competitions. ' - .