VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 11891, 20 May 1903, Page 8

VOLUNTEER AND DEFENCE NOTES.

IBt OmtfOST.] Some slight alterations have this week been made in the arrangements for the competitiohgffor'the Government medals. As it is impbisiblip to get .firing for the three distances finished in one afternoon, it has been decided that Saturday first and the following Saturday shall be devoted to firing at the shorter ranges—3oo and 500 yards—and that on the third Saturday after present date the competition will be carried on at the long range—7oo yards. Doubtless the results of the first two days' firing will find some of the competitors so far behind as to make farther shooting useless, and only a limited attendance on the last day may be looked for. The hat and collar badges for the Ist Infantry Battalion, which were ordered some time ago from Hobeon and Sons, military tailors, London, an expected here shortly, and will, on arrival, be distributed over the various companies. Now that all the companies of the battalion are uniformed exactly alike corps officers find it rather difficult to readily distinguish their own men when all are on parade together, and a suggestion has been put forward, and, I believe, will be given effect to, that each company shall adopt a ribbon of distinctive color, such ribbon to be worn on the cap, as is the case among the Canterbury volunteers. The Dunedin Engineers are now making arrangements for their annual presentation of prizes. An interesting programme is being arranged, and several entirely new items will be introduced. This is a gathering which the friends and supporters of the corps to look forward to with interest. General Babington got through his inspection of the North Otago corps in the early part of last week, and arrived in Dunedin by Friday night's express. On Saturday afternoon the jjeneral inspected *B Battery, the Otago Hussars, and the Taieri Mounted Rifles, leaving here for the North on Monday morning. Though results, as far as the two first-named corps are concerned, were very satisfactory, the muster of the Taieri Mounted Rifles was neither creditable to themselves nor to the volun-' teer district which they belong to. B Battery had a capital muster for the general's inspection. The officers on parade were Lieutenant Haydon, who in the absence of Captain Tapley, who is out of town just now, took over the command, and Lieutenant Ritchie. Non-coms, and rank and file totalled forty-eight. The corps presented a smart appearance as it went out to CoTstorpbine through town, and with its usual punctuality it was on the ground well up to time. As far as drill was concerned. General Babington seemed to let the battery down rather lightly, the movements asked for being both few and simple. The old artillery maxim " one gun is no gun" seems to have fallen into disrepute, and the general, at all events, does not seem to be a very firm believer in it. On Saturday afternoon he sent out guns as into action singly and independently. After a few words of encouragement to the men of the above corps, General Babington gave them a very pleasing bit of news. He said that he was making arrangements by whjch the battery would have six horses always at their disposal, and he expected that they would have these horses in a month or two. By this arrangement the corps will be enabled to fully horse a single gun for drill any Saturday, and when all the guns are on parade there will be two horses per gun available, each pair trained to act as leaders. The ' Clutha Leader' furnishes some rather interesting details with regard to a match fired on the Barnego range last Saturday between teams representing the Owaka Rifles and the Clutha Mounted Rifles. The score of Captain Richardson (Owaka Rifles) was a fine one: 300 yds, 5445445 (31): 500 yds, 5555544 (33); and 600vds, 5455334 (29) —a total of 93. The score 'equals the highest hitherto put on at the Barnego range. Another and even better 93 was that of Private Sinclair, a recruit of the Owaka compny. who has had little or no experience in rifle shooting. His score reads: 300 yds, 3453545 (29); 500 yds, 4444555 (31); and 600 yds, 5455455 (33). During the course of this match the remarkable spectacle was to be seen at 600 yds of two good shots lying side by side, one with four degrees of right wind, and the other with-the same number from the left, and both getting bulls. I am afraid tnat either this last statement is incorrect, or' else one of the competitors must have been getting bulls by mere chance. The Wakari Rifles, up to date as usual, have begun hall musketry with the Gaudet ammunition. The space under the stage of their hall has been utilised for the target, and sandbag protection has been constructed. The Dunedin Highland Rifles are introducing something slightly novel into their Morns tube practice this winter in the shape of a running target.

The Wakari Rifles intend in the future to devote one night per week to pymnastics. and are now making arrangements to acquire suitable apparatus. The corps have nl«> secured the services of Mr J. C. Smith, well known in gymnastic circles here, and he will act as instructor. The officer commanding the district recently guve the members of the Dunedin Non-commissioned Officers' Club an interesting preliminary lesson in field sketching. Members appear to be greatly interested in this branch of work, and intend to carry it on during the winter months. The new drill book will also come up for study. This will probably prevent the carrying out of the club's usual programme of winter lectures.

A member of the Dnnedin Engineers supplies me with the following interesting observations. on remits in field telegraphy obtained at Barewood camp. "We had," he says, "our new microphone at work over a mile and a-half of insulated wire, a bayonet driven into the ground at each station taking the place of earth plates. The instrument worked splendidly, and communication was kept up day and night continuously between headquarters and the central picquet. For the practical workins of the circuit only two cells at each end were required, and as an experiment the battery was once temporarily cut out of circuit. The instrument, however, continued to audibly reproduce sounds spoken into the sensitive microphone at the distant station. This effect is explained by the difference in potential at the two stations adjusting itself by means of the line wire. These earth currents traverse the circuit just as an ordinary current does, but they are very feeble, and this suffices to demonstrate the veryl great value of the microphone in the field, and on active service. Instead of the usual bell, which might attract the attention of an alert enemy, a make-and-break induction coil and a telegraph key are inserted into the circuit, and on depressing the key a muffled buzzing sound, audible only to those near the instrument, is heard. It can be worked over long circuits with a small battery. and should there exist any possibility of the circuit being tapped by the enemy, it may be used as a telegraph instrument pure and simple, no increase of battery being necessary. For moving columns, where portability, is of almost paramount importance, this instrument seems to have a great advantage over the ordinary field telegraph set, which is more cumbersome, less easily adjusted, and requires a much larger amount of battery power. It would be interesting to experiment with a view to finding out what the microphone could be relied on to do over a long circuit, and perhaps permission could be obtained to use the Government telegraph lines on some camp Sunday, when they would probably not be otherwise engaged." Gazetted: Transfer of Lieutenant H Baron, B Battery, N.Z.F.A., to the active list with rank of lieutenant, and with effect as from March 6; resignation of Captain James Rutherford, Kaitangata Rifles, and approval of his being posted to the retired list, with effect as from March 10; cancellation of the commission held ,by Surgeon-captain F. W. Mackenzie (Wellington), in terms of paragraph 64, New Zealand Volunteer Regulations, he having left the colony without nennission. By the retireihent of Captain Rutherford —a contingency 7 which has, I understand, u- n ,. m^ e nec essary owing to an accident which befell him some time ago—tie KaiRifles lose the valuable guidance and efficient command of an excellent offi- ?**• .~y Timbers of his own corps Capt«m Rutherford's name was never men-

turned except in terms of high respect, for the men fully recognised not only his own efficiency, but the interest which he always took in all the affairs of the company. This is the second time within the last few years that the Kaitangata Rifles have lost a good officer, the other occasion arising on the removal of Lientenanfe W. M'Laren to Dunedin, he having received an appointment in the Albany street School.