PETONE NAVALS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 14

PETONE NAVALS.

ANNUAL r/lEETINC. REPOET ON THE YEAR'S .WORK. '' . ■ . The annual meeting of the Petone Naval Artillery (No. 2 Company, Wellington Division, G.V.A.) was held on Wednesday in the Drilkhed, Petone, Captain 0...V. Ellis presiding over a full muster. The twenty-seventh annual' report stated that the company had again been awarded the Coast Artillery Challenge Shield for 1908-9. This-was the fourth consecutive j'ear in which the company had achiQved this success, and it showed that the' high standard of efficiency set up several' years ago had not diminished. The company also came, third in the competition for tho Coast Artillery Cup in the same year. ; The year 1909-10 did not open auspiciously for the Petone Navals. The general depression and dullness.of trade prevailing at that time was quickly reflected in the roll of the company,

pany efficiency in gunnery were 90.8, as compared with 94.56 gained last year. This reduction was due partly to the now system of examination rather than to any reduction in efficiency, for the gunnery work was of a very high standard.' Fifty-five N.C.O.'s and men qualified for gunnery badges. Both Staff-Sergeants were experienced and capable N.C.O.'s and instructors. The Sergearrt-Major trained the D.R-F. details, while tho Q.-M.-S. trained gun details and was permanently allotted as G.G.O. There were 13 D.R.F. specialists, all : well qualified and efficient. In fact it would be hard to find a more efficient D.R.F. section than, this company had, for most of the men have been trained as D.R.F. specialists for some years, and were thoroughly reliable in all branches of the work. All tho section qualified well in semaphore signalling. There were 12 signallers and all were well trained. They devoted a lot of time during the year to establishing stations for.long-distance signalling, and were quite expert in tho work, in addition to which they, all had a thorough knowledge of the theoretical principles laid down in the Signalling Manual, and consequently passed a very good examination. All the ■ signallers passed as first class, the average marks being 97.9 as compared with 96.75 last year.