TERRITORIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 16045, 23 February 1916, Page 8

TERRITORIALS.

■■* [By SsmuiSßU.] tttnu •/ interest concerning Cons (Town and Country), Shooting, and Territorial note* generally will be accepted. Copy, addretud to "Skirmisher," ttould be in hand net later than Monday morning. The New Zealand Territorial Reserve :an justly claim to be a. part of the Defence' Forces of the Dominion. The general organisation, training, and administration of the Reserve is strictly in conformity with the regulations of the NewZealand Defence. Forces, which the Reserve is formed to support- and assist in all such directions as their services may be required, and- shall, as a Reserve, cooperate with the General Officer Commanding the Forces and the Officer Commanding Districts. The districts formed ar© Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough,- "Otago, and South- j land. These districts, for the purpose of | command and organisation, will be divided into groups and areas. The Railway section of the Reserve is to be considered aseparate division, under its own command. The Dominion Commandant will be. appointed by the Governor, and district commandants, will be appointed on the recommendation of the Dominion Commandant. The commandant of each district will recommend the appointments of officers commanding groups, who shall bo designated the officer commanding the group. Reserve officers shall Ik granted commissions. The Dominion Commandant will rank as colonel, district- commanders and the commanders of the Railway Engineer sections will rank as lieutenant-colonels. Reserve officers shall take precedence next after Territorial officers in their respective rank. Ah members of the National Reserve will be. deemed to have undertaken a military declaration, submitting chirm" the continuance of membership to the conditions of the King's regulations, as laid down for the discipline and guidance of military and naval volunteers under training. Registration lists are to be prepared in each district by a committee composed of .retired officers, under a chairman. Such lists will be by platoons, troops. squadrons, batteries, etc., according to the arm of sendee desired in each residential area, with a view to the fact that in crave national -emergency such bodies may bo called up by the Government, putting into operation the terms of the Militia Act still embodied in the New Zealand Defence Act. The miniature rifle range at the Drill Hall has been used during the past two weeks for the purpose of carrying out the Senior Cadets' musketry course. Only temporary arrangements havo been made so far in regard to the targets, but this matter will be attended to shortly, and when completed we will probably have the best miniature range in Now Zealand. There will be plenty of target accommodation, and on off nights 1 hope the Defence authorities will allow the range to be used by members of the National Reserve, who up to the present have been handicapped for the want of suitable ranges. With the coming winter some interesting miniature rifle matehes should be arranged, and by this means help the Territorials and Senior, Cadets to take an interest in shooting. All units going into camp will require to take rifles with them, and those companies who are without this part of their equipment will require to requisition the group office for them. Lieutenant Kelligher's signalling class for Cadets is still' being carried on, and is generally well attended. I noticed one or two of the boys are making great strides in their work, and very shortly will be able to hold their own with anv of the signallers in the district. When more advanced the lads will be taken outside ■wnd given some long-distance practice, ♦vhich is quite necessary to make them fcfhcient as visual signallers. There are still a number of hooks not returned to the librarian of the Dunedin ameers' Club, and officers who have these woks are asked to return them at once to -leutenant Mulholland. The furniture of tie club has recently been removed from Jye Garrison Hall, and very soon the Pincers' Club room will be available for ise by members. Close on 40 non-commissioned officers >at for examination for first appointments to commission in Dunedin on Tuesday last and following days. The papers were fairfy severe, but a number of candidates are quite confident of having made sufficient marks to gain a good pass. It -will be some time before the results are announced, and candidates will no doubt keep up their studies in the meantime, with a view of being prepared for positions they may be appointed to. Several very useful manuals have recently come under mv notice, and I would particularly draw the attention of Territorials and those proceeding to the) front in the near future to the following books —viz., 'Field Gunnery,' by Lieutenant Donald A. Macalister, and published by John Murray, Albemarle. N.W.. London; and 'Camps, Billets, Cooking, and Cere'monial' (Imperial Army Series), by the same publishers. In connection," with held gunnery many of our works are somewhat difficult to grasp, owing to the large amount of formulae contained therein. I have noticed, for instance, that field formulae and methods are never explained, and that the young gunner is expected to burden his mind with formula? which he might derive for himself. The uso of field formulae should be gradually acquired, as progress and familiarity are attained. The whole art of field" gunnery is the application of common-sense, controlled by regulations laid down in field training manuals. I can recommend the work mentioned as being very clear and concise in every respect, and there are many who will derive instruction by carefully perusing the pages. 'Camp 'Billets, Coooking, and Ceremonial,' written bv an officer of the regu- I Jar army, and edited bv Captain E. fcolano, is intended for units of the regular army and for the military forces of the Dominions. It contains subjects grouped in a. convenient manner, which are dealt with la various official training manuals including the 'Manual of Ceremonial, Military Hygiene and Sanitation,' ' Military Cooking,' ' Infantry Training, 1914,' Field Service Pocket Book,' and 'Field Service Regulations.' The instruction and direction throughout this book are consistent in principle with the official manuals. The book contains much general information, which will be useful to both officers and men, including rules regarding the vitally important subject of the preservation of health, which, amoug other subjects, refers to water supply, the inspection of food, preserving food. milk. and water from contamination, personal cleanliness, and sanitation generally. This concise work includes some 230 pages, a l n my °l should be carefully read by those desirous of improving their knowledge. Sergeant-major Stroud, who has bee temporarily attached to the Permanent Staff in Dunedin, has recently left to join the reinforcements as a non-cOmmissionod officer. There a.** many who will regret this popular officer's departure, but at the same time we have the satisfaction of knowing that he is leaving for the front with the intention of doing all in his power for King and country. Sergeantmajor Stroud, whilst in Dunedin, has been => !Hgnlar contributor to this column, and his notes on the training manual in lvrical form have always been read with interest. Prior to joining our local force Sergeantmajor Stroud served in the regular army in India and Egypt for a number of years. Apart from soldiering, the sorgeant-major had a considerable amount of musical talent, and he has composed several patriotic songs, which are now in circulation. Having an education above that of the usual standard, we hope to hear of his rapid promotion in the near future. Tho weekly parade of the Divisional fiignal Company was held last evening. There was again a fair mustor, and a good evening's work in signalling and telegraph work was earned out. The dates for the annual camp have not yet been decided, but in all probability it will be some time in March—perhaps about the 10th of the month. feergeant V. Courtis has been promoted to the rank of color-spm-aaiTi.