GARRISON TOUR AT ABBOTSFORD.

Evening Star, Issue 12026, 26 October 1903, Page 2

GARRISON TOUR AT ABBOTSFORD.

With a view to carrying volunteer field training in the Otago district a step furth-r lorwaru, Colonel Robin some time ago issued ca&Lnct orders embodying particulars of a projected garrison tour, in which all officers or all branches—mounted men, artillery intan try- and -the medical branch—belonging to the JJunedin garrison were aeked to take par.,, .is a garrison tour is quite a npw leaturo m volunteer training here, it should be explained that the object of such an exercise is to give officers a practical lesion •wi a given terrain, each officer' bein<* required to act and move just as if Ids'own command were with him, to select ground on which the beet effect would be obtainable from ins particular arm, to fit his own movements into a general scheme, and to increase Ins ability m field sketching bv marian" down the hills, streams, roacfc, etc, in and ioout his own front.

Cue fine weather which prevailed on Saturday afternoon added a considerable element of pleasure to a purely instructional .proceeding, and by the time that it was over everyone appeared to have enjoyed his tramp m the bracing atmosphere and over the beautiful country round Green Island so well that the general wish seemed to be tnat the officer commanding the district may see fit to arrange another similar tour and an mtimation to that effect, made by Lionel Robin at the close of the day, was received with general satisfaction. The officers who took part in the tour issemoled at Abbotsford at 2.30 p.m., somgoing out by the 2.10 p.m. train, and others —tue officers belonging to the mounted branches, the umpires, and the staff—preferring to ride. When all were • assembled Lieacenant-colonel Smith, commanding the defence, explained the general idea of the operation to those present. This idea was that an enemy had landed on the coast somewhere south of Saddle Hill, that this enemy was estimated to be numerically about the same strength as the defence, was parching with guns, and might be expected t ?°Jn ° a rr? I Tmedi . n either b T roiltes of Saddle Hill or by the Taieri Plain. It waa proposed, therefore, to take up a line of defence covering the City and the City waterworks, so that the enemy might be met no matter which way they came; and before the parade marched off Colonel Robin took occasion to impress verv stronglv on all present that they should "be careful in making their dispositions to remember that there was little value in a passive defence, the value of a defence only being great in bo fax as it provided facilities for a counter attack. When all necessary facts and circnmsE.aDces had been explained, Lieutenantcolonei Smith then divided the outer line of tiie defence into two wings. Major Myer= commanded the right wing, which consisted oi officers representing sixty Hussara, with a -torn gun, two field guns with waggons, ana five infantry companies of sixty each—nnrnciy the rhmedin City Guards, Dunedin Highland Rffies, Dunedin City Rifles, East aaien Rifles, and Wakari Rifles. The position as .aken up by this wing stretched from the township of Green Island to the high ground above the Fernhiil coal pit, known as Aobofrs HiIL The left wing, cornmanied &?!*"* and Adjutant sistod of twenty Hussars, one Maxim, one field gun, the Dunedin Cycle Corps; and HE FOTHNTD RELIEF. George Eudldn, Town Clerk, Kumara, saysI have very great pleasure in stating that, having' used Chamberlain's Pain Balm in very severe attack of sciatica, I found im mf L diate relief. Had before tried many otheT embrocations for the same purpose, but found this the most efficacious. Several of mv friends who have been afflicted with Themn-V-Usm have, on my advice, tried Chamberlain's Pain Balm with equally good results. I confidently recommend it to those in need of a good household liniment or embrocation " IkJ* "wsgaaebsre st 1* Gd.-£M?tJi