VOLUNTEER NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 320, 6 October 1908, Page 10

VOLUNTEER NEWS.

CARRISON'SHIELD MATCHES. The sub-committee appointed by the District Volunteer liifle Association to redraft rules for tho> Garrison Teams Shield matchcs, have drawn up the following set of conditions, to be presented for confirmation at a meeting of the-General Committee to be held on Friday ovening next, at the conclusion of the battalion parade:— Three teams matches (senior and junior), to be fired—oji October 31, November 28, and . 011 a third date yet to be fixed—all matches to count for the'shield. In each match, throe points will l)e allotted to the first team, two to the second, and one to the third. Teams consist of ten men; to be'nominated seven, days before each match, and to be allotted the exclusive use of two targets. ' Classification.—Senior companies: JJ Battery, Wellington Navals, City ltilles, Guards, Post and Telegraph Riiles, Highland Riiles. Junior companies: Petone Navals, Engineers, E.L. ■ Company, Heretaunga Mounted Riiles, Kclburne Rifles, Civil Service Riiles, College Rifles, Zcalandia Rifles, Cycle Corps, Hiitt Valley ltilles, and Johnsouville Rifles. Firing Conditions.—Ranges: 200, 500, and 600yd5.7 shots and one sighter any shot or shots uniired at the expiration of the time-limit —200 yds., 30 minutes; 500 yds., 40 minutes; 600 yds., 50 minutes—to be disallowed, and aiiy shot.fired after the "Cease fire 1 ' to render the team liable to disqualification. Challenges.—One shilling each, but no time allowance to be made. Companies classified as "senior" may also enter a junior team, but no senior company may enter, and fire a junior team unless its senior team is also competing. Competing teams must provide their own ammunition, and also two competent markers and two scorers per team. All competitors, scorers, and markers may parade in mufti. ■ Entranco Fee.—One team, one guinea; eac,j additional team from the samo company, half a guinea. . • ' : Ties.—In the event of a tie in the aggregate. of points for the shields, the team with the highest grand aggregate score for the three matches fired shall bo adjudged the winner of the tie; in the event of a tie in the grand aggregate, one shot'per man, at the longest range, to decide ; a tie in ; a one day's teams match to be 'decided"■ as per N.Z.D.F.R..A. rules. In each class the company-represented by the team with the highest number of points at the conclusion of the three matches to bo awarded tho shield allotted; to that class, and ten trophies, aggregating ' in value five guineas, for' presentation to members of the team, shields and trophies to be suitably inscribed by the association. 1 ■ : Where not' otherwise provided, the rules of; the N.Z.D.F.R.A. shall apply; air questions as to rules, regulations, and conditions of competition to be decided by a range officer,, and all_ decisions of the Shields Com* petition Committee to bo final —no appeal. ' BATTALION PARADES. ; A pa'rade of the battalion is announced for Friday evening next. On Labour Day the battalion will, proceed to Trentham, where two'paid daylight parades will be held. BLANK AMMUNITION. It is not generally known by officers commanding cadet corps that each cadet is.eutitled to twenty-five rounds of .303 blank anl-' munition per ■ annum. Commanding officers of cadet corps should apply to the nearest defence storekeeper for the regular'annual allowance of blank ammunition; recruits can receive excellent instruction in firing drill by loading the .303 rifle with blank cartridge and firing at lighted candles, set, say, at a radius of from three to four yards .from tho muzzle of tho rifle, and. set one or 1 two yards apart. The recruit must aim'accurately, and the charge of air caused by tho explosion iuust strike fairly near the centre of candle flame before it will put it out. The ordinary candle has too large a flame, night lights are .best'for this purpose. '• A recruit can be taught all the rudiments of shooting with the rifle in this way; it tends to make his nerves steady, and is most useful for steadying recruits in quick-firing drill. All British soldiers (regular) are put through a course of firing drill with blank before they are ak, lowed to fire ball. For some reason blank ammunition is very little used in New Zealand either by the yoluutcer forces or cadet corps. Many companies do not even trouble to draw their annual allowance.