TERRITORIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 15538, 7 July 1914, Page 5

TERRITORIALS.

[By Skuuiisheb.]

Items of interest concerning Corps (Town and Country), Shooting, and Territorial notes generally will be accepted. Copy, addressed to “Skirmisher,” should be tn hand not later than Monday morning. The conference of district and staff officers at Wellington concluded on Thursdaylast It is understood that many of the recommendations of the Inspector of Overseas Forces will be given effect tp,_ and that some great changes in tho administrative department will take place. I expect to announce shortly some promotions in th© non-commissioned officers' ranks. Rifle Association’s meeting will commence at Eisiey next week. The annual social, in conjunction with fie presentation of . prizes, of the Kiwi Rifle Club will take place on Wednesday week. An invitation to be present is acknowledged with thanks. In future there will he two examinations of non-commissioned officers per year for first appointments to commissions in the Territorial Forces. These examinations will be held on the same date as tho examination of officers for promotion. One hoard will conduct both examinations. Sergeant-major J. E. Xesbitt, Royal New Zealand Artillery, has been awarded the meritorious service medal.

The members of Xo. 2 Company. Field Engineers, paraded for inspection on Wednesday last. There was a good muster of all ranks, with Major F. Waite iu command. After the company had been put through some work by the non-commis-sioned officers Major Waite explained the nature of the work to be undertaken during tho forthcoming year. Ho urged on the members to be punctual in their attendance,' and also spoke of the advantages to be gained by- attending all parades in the early part of the year. Tho parade state was as follows : —1 major, 5 lieutenants, 77 all other ranks.

The retirement of the following officers, with permission to retain their rank ami wear the prescribed uniform, is gazetted: —Captains J. MTndoe and A. Dempster 'lth Otago Regiment), Lieutenant-colonel W. Henderson and Captain R. B. Maekay cth Southland Regiment), and Lieutenant R. I). Veitch (Corps of Xew Zealand Engineers). One often wonders why it is that miniature rifle shooting does not take on in Dunedin to the same extent that it does in other centres. In Christchurch there arc dozens of miniature clubs, and some very pleasant contests take place. I know many shooting men consider this form of tport as mere child’s play, and they fail lo aee_ any good practice in it. To my mind it is a splendid way of getting our young men to take to the rifle, and is a splendid training for the eyesight, as well is the nerve. Many interesting competitions can be arranged, and the shooting he made quite as difficult as open range shooting. I understand that shortly an outside miniature range will be opened in Dunedin, and I am quite sure, if worked on proper lines, it will be a great attraction to »ur Territorials. The shooting can all be done under service conditions, and disappearing targets, moving targets, picking up *#bjects at unknown ranges can all be practised. Last year, at the Dominion Rifle Association's meeting at Trentham, a series of miniature matches found a place on the programme, but for various reasons was hardly a success. This year, when the programme appears, 1 have no doubt miniature rifle matches will he again included. The authorities who tun the meeting recognise there is much in it. and perhaps some better arrangements will be made in regard to the supply of rifles and ammunition. All shooting* men do not possess small-bore rifles, and it will be necessary to make soma arrangement at the meeting, if miniature shooting is going to take on, whereby ail competitors could get the use of a weapon. Those members of the 4th Otago Regiment absent without leave from the parade railed on the King's Birthday were offered an excellent chance of making np that parade on Saturday last. Every absentee from a parade is_ liable to bo prosecuted. but, taking into consideration the very bad weather on June 5. it was decided to call another parade, sn as to afford absentees an opportunity of making up lost ground. Very few availed themselves of the opportunity, so I suppose on next court day tho Magistrate will have a full list of offenders to><leal with. Those who did parade put in a good day's work on tho beach, the"various squads and platoons being exercised by the non-commissioned officers. The men returned to town shortly after dark.

Paragraph 673 of the General Regulations governing the Defence Force has seen revoked, and the following substituted hi lieu thereof; —A limited number of Senior Cadet X.C.O.s, on attaining the age for transfer to the Territorial Force, may be allowed to continue serving in their companies in the Senior Cadets sul>iect to tho following conditions:--(!) In order that premotion in the Senior Cadets may not bo blocked, the number of J X.C.O.s so retained in any company shall not exceed a total of three, to consist of I; color-seVgeant and two sergeants, who "will ba specially selected and recommended by the officer commanding tho Cadet company concerned. Their retention will also I.*? subject, to the approval of the O.C. the District, and to the consent of the X.C.O.s concerned; (2) they may continue to serve 1 with their company up to the- ago of 25 I rears, provided their duties are satisfac- I torily performed, and so long as they are i rot transferred from the headquarters of their company. Such service will count as equivalent to service in the Territorial Force. (3) Upon transfer or upon tho recommendation of tho officer commanding the company they may bo posted to the Territorial Force. (-5) They may wear the uniform of the Territorial' Force. In addition to their Cadet service, these times and when attending camps or the Territorial unit to which their companies aro affiliated. They will at these times and when' attending camps on courses of instruction be entitled to the .-'■tuiq pay as Territorial non-commissioned officers of the same rank. An invitation to be present at the first annual reunion and smoko concert of the National Deserve, which is to ho hold in the Early Settlers’ Hall on Wednesday of next week, is acknowledged with thanks. Three years have elapsed since the inauguration of the Territorial system of defence, and all ranks should fee! satisfied that good progress has been 'made with the training of "our troops. Wien the Bill authorising compulsory service was passed many people saw great difficulties before them, and foretold the recurrence of voluntary training as a matter of only a few monfhs. Wo heard on all sides that tho country would not be able to stand the cost , and that employers of labor would never allow their businesses to be interfered with, to riii’h an extent as in all probability they would bo by the compulsory attendance at parades and camps of all employees under .a certain age. We have had three, years’ training, including three weekly camps, and I am positive that very few cases have occurred where money spent could be considered as wasted, or where a business had been upset because the hands were away at camp. Xo doubt many cases have occurred where it has been dfficulb for employers to allow their men away for training, but the employer who wishes tho scheme success will always find ways and means of arranging leave for their employees. Those people who .will never see any good in compulsory service will throw obstacles in the way at every opportunity, but as they are in a hopeless minority I do nob think wo need give them ranch attention. The Defence .Department has at all times done its best to reset employers of labor, and so long as they do that 1 think the scheme is iboond bo succeed. The department has been harassed somewhat Toy the want of accommodation in regard to drill halls and tide ranges, but as tune goes on no doubt these disabilities will disappear, and sooner or later we will have a perfect system of defence. Next year transfers to the Beserve will commence, and after that each unit will be constantly changing M man get drafted out and new men come in. The training of the Senior Cadets will greatly assist company officers and instructors, and in time it should be pos'mUm im cut out 'the elementary portion of

fa Territorial's_ training. Tho greatest 1 difficulty in this respect will, of course, occur in the technical branches of the force, for to my mind it will take a much longer time to make men efficient in artillery, engineering, and other work than the time allowed before their transfer to the Reserve. In regard to shooting I would like to see some improvement made; not so much in th© instruction as the facilities for more practice. At the present time a Territorial is forced to go to the rang© and fire off a number of rounds under certain conditions, and when tins is done nothing further is required for the year, and no inducement is offered tho recruit to indulge in a pastime which would bo the most profitable in regard to his training. Xo matter how efficient a man becomes iu regard to his own particular work, ho is very little use if he cannot shoot straight. Too much time is taken up for the musketry course, and no time is allowed for company competitions or intercompany contests. The department would be wise to grant more free ammunition and offer some reward for merit with the ride. During the old volunteer days I always found the best men were the shooting men, and these were the people who kept the volunteers going. Another thing, we want more musketry instructors —men who know the rifle thoroughly, and who are able to ox plain to the recruit what is required for correct aiming, a knowledge of wind and other climatic conditions, and, above all, the care of arms.