TERRITORIAL FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1034, 25 January 1911, Page 8

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

THE COMMANDANT AT FORT KELBURNE. PETONE NAVALS COMPLIMENTED. Last evening, tho Commandant of the Forces (Major-General A. F. Godlcy, C.13;), accompaiiicd by Captain D. C. Spencer Smith (staff officer), paid a visit to 'Fort Kelburne, Ngahaurangn, and inspected No. '2 Company, Wellington Garrison Artillery Division (Petono Navals). Lieutenant-Colonel G. F. C. Campbell (Officer Commanding tho Division), Major F. J. Courtney, Major Menzies, Captain G. S. Richardson (Chief Instructor of Artillery), and Captain Mickle (Adjutant of tho Division), Thoro was an. excellent muster of tho corps, under Captain Bcvan and Lieutenants Hollis and Andrew, and the works wcro fully manned, both reliefs being up to strength. General Godlcy made.a detailed inspection of tho fort, and plied tho officers with questions, displaying a keen,interest in'tho work of tho garrison artillery.' Two series in-big..gun practice wcro got off in quick-time, after'which-.,tho gunners wore formed up and addressed by .tho Commandant. General Godley remarked that theirs was tho first garrison artillery unit ho had inspected in. his official' capacity as General Officer Commanding the Forces. Ho had heard of tho Petono Navals beforo he camo to New Zealand, and was very glad to have tho pleasure of witnessing them at work. Ho would be still more pleased - to revisit tliein during their training course next year and witness their gunnery'practice under servico. conditions. He, expressed himself as being highly pleased.with tho efficiency, general bearing, and appearance of all ranks, and complimented the corps on its high traditions. , Under tho new scheme of or-, ganisation, tho' general pointed out, 'it would be impossible for thom to continue to wear the naval uniform, though he hoped that they would always be known as the Petono Navals. The previous organisation of the New Zealand forces had been rather conspicuous by reason of tho miscellaneous pattern of uniform adopted' by' different..companies, and they could; very well' understand that this could not endure under a remodelled scheme. Nevertheless, he desired tliein to believe/that he would be-the, very last man .to interfere .with, their traditions, but' changes of the kind he had mentioned were inevitable. WELLINGTON NAVALS IN CAMP. : NEW 6-INCH GUNS TESTED. The Wellington Navals, under Captain W. H. Morton, have now fairly settled down to'their annual 16 days' 1 training at Fort Dorset, aiid after this- week is over, and all ranks are licked into shape,big gun practice Will bo carried out. Yesterday, for the first, time in their grim lives, the new 6-inch B.L. guns, which have just been placed ill position, 'roared a sullen defiance across tho waters of Cook Strait. The test was quite satisfactory, and next .week the big monsters will have plenty to do.. Fo.rt Dorset is tlio most recent addiction to tho harbour fortification's,'and from the seaward bluff "'overlooking Steeple. Rock, near , tho entrance, to tho harbour, commands a' great rango of hitting power. A searching beam has also been' installed _at the fort by tlio Electric-Light Section.'• . On Thursday evening of. 'next .week the Commandant of the Forces will stay in camp for the purposo of witnessing the annual "test shoot", of the Wellington Navals early tlio following morning. To-day General - Godlcy leaves-for - the south/, Ho will bo accompanied by Captain, D. C. Spencer-Smith, aiid will spend about a week' in ChristehurCh' and. Dunedin inspecting tho troops' and discussing with those in authority quos-., tions relating to organisation. THE TAUHERINIKAU CAMP. NEW ARRIVALS. (From Our Special Correspondent.) . . . Featherston, January 24. • ! Matters at "the cainp at Tauherinikau on Monday were very quiets. Most of the officers wero on leave for the Anniversary Day holiday. Tho latest , arrivals aro Lieutenants Thornton. am} Dyer, both of-Auckland, aiid .at the present .time there are, upwards of ,93 officers undergoing' instruction. ' Lieu-; tenant Turnbull,-of Dunedin, who lately' contracted scarlet fever, and.'who-had ,to bo removed'to tllo'Greytown Hospital, is progressing quite satisfactorily. Butts arei being erected-for" a Jlorristube rifle range, and this form of.training will shortly be in full swing.' WELLINGTON MILITARY DISTRICT. : .TROOPS IN THE COMMAND. The official return of the strength of tho troops in tho Wellington Command at at Dccember'3l, is-as follows:— : Royal N.Z. Engineers and Artil- . lery 125 Field and Garrison Artillery and Engineers . . 479 Mounted/Rifles 1267 Infantry ... ;....' 2192 Senior Cadets. 1495 Riflo Clubs, • 1903 Field Ambuiarico 59 Officers, (Active List unattached) ,81' Reservo of Officers -...' , 27 Garrison Band and Battalion Bands' ' 140 Total' 7773 NEWS AND NOTES. It lias been decided to hold the annual competition of tho Wellington Garrison Communications Club on Saturday, March 25, 1911, entries being accepted up to that date.' Officers, commanding units are asked to make every endeavour to get teams, in training so that tho competitions may bo a success. Each team is requested on forwarding entry to. nominate a judge. At the Garrison Officers' Club last evening tho officer commanding tlio district (Lieutenant-Colonel E.. W. C. Chaytor)'-met tho staff and company commanders of, tho Wellington Riflo Battalion and traversed, .in a critical review, tho field manoeuvres which wore carried out .at Karori South on Monday (Anniversary; Day). Tho Heretaunga Mounted Rifles and Dominion Scouts will go into camp at tho liutt Park to-day for their annual training in mounted infantry work. , ■