VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 494, 6 December 1897, Page 2

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

(By Martini-Henry.}

In order that this column may be as complete as possible and useful to Volunteers and shooting men alike, I should esteem it a favour if Secretaries of Volunteer corps and Rifle clubs would send me items of interest, such as dates and results of shooting matches, etc., as soon after they are decided as possible. They should be addressed, " Martini-Henry, Standard office, Hastings," and should reach this office not later than mid-day on Saturdays, so as to appear in Monday's issues. The local Volunteer corps have taken a new lease of life, and things are looking a good deal brighter for them. They are now having good musters both at company and inspection parades. I notice by a telegram in your Saturday's issue that the Garrison Band at Christchureh (who were dismissed from the service for not parading on the occasion of His Excellency the Governor's late visit to the City of the Plains) have asked Colonel Pole Penton, through the officer commanding their district, to hold an enquiry before appointing another Garrison Band. I shall have something to say about this later on. The Gazette contains a, notice that Volunteer corps will be permitted to choose their own uniforms, but before being adopted they must be submitted to the Defence Department for approval. The Hastings Rifles expect to get new uniforms at the commencement of the new Volunteer year. Lieut. - Colonel Newall was very pleased with the Hastings Rifles, both at his inspection parade and volley firing held last week. It was rumored a short time since that we were to have a cadet corps formed here, but I have heard nothing of it lately. It is to be hoped that it will not be allowed to drop, as it is a very useful branch of the service and enables an adult corps to keep up its strength an efficiency by drawing from the cadets as they grow up. The class-firing of the Hastings Rifles is now in full swing. LieutenantSsWare and Ridgway will be taking squacte over to the Te Mata range several mornings now each week. I would impress upon Volunteers the necessity of completing their class-firing as soon as possible, as when left late in the year it is a source of great annoyance to officers commao&|jpßorps. The Napier Rifles, who w«re successful in winning the Coleman Shield this year, have had the team photographed by Mr S. Carnell, who has turned it out in his usual finished style. I understand that the conditions for the Sargood, Son and Ewen trophy will be altered next year, the time test being cut out, when I hope to see all the New Zealand corps competing for the prize. I must compliment Color-Sergeant Robson, of the Napier Rifles, upon securing Mr R. D. 1). McLean's prize of a Lee-Metford rifle. The rifle was gi-.en by Mr McLean to be fas by Sfrfies corps.