Volunteer Notes.

Hastings Standard, Volume III, Issue 864, 7 March 1899, Page 3

Volunteer Notes.

j e. | (BY Martcx TIKNRY.) ! Nest Thursdiy will be the first j Government parade of the Hastings Rifles in the now volunteer year. As is usually the case at the end of the year, a f< ; w of the members are leaving the local corps ; and as there are only a few vacancies, those wishing to join should do so at once, so as to get a few of the rough corners knocked off them in view of the Easter Camp.

The annual general meeting of the Hastings Rifles will be held during the month.

The following officers of the E.C.B. proceeded to Wanganui, last week, to present themselves for examination for their respective commissions :—Captain Berry and Lieutenant Forsyth, of the Napier Guards; Lieutenant Wilmer, N\.p ; er Rifles ; Captain Rathbone, Lieutenants -Toll and Colbert, of the Waipawa Rifles. The result of the examinations will be known iD about a fortnight's time.

Volunteers in the South Island have not yet been served out with the new rifle.

I must congratulate Bandmaster King, of Oamaru Garrison Band, in his victory of the Challenge Belt at Wanganui last week, the result of which appeared in your Saturday's issue.

Private G. Harris, of the Wellington City Rifles, and Private G. Hale, of the Wellington Guards, have been presented with Imperial long-service medals. Harris has been a volunteer for over 30 years. The Woodvil'.e Rifle Corps has 85 marksmen this year. This certainly must be a record. Hastings Corps has nine; Napier Rifles has 14. There are a few members who have not yet returned their Martini-Henry rifles to store. They should do so at once, as they have to be returned to Wellington immediately. Last week's Gazette contains the acceptance af the resignation of I). D. Hyde, of the Ileretaunga Mounted Rifles (Hutt). This corps is being resuscitated, and Mr L. W. Loveday has been elected captain, After the distribution of prizes at Wanganui in connection with the New Zealand Rifle Association meeting, Lieutenant-Colonel bewail presented Major Somerville with a purse of sovereigns in recognition of past seryices.