OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 7926, 31 July 1886, Page 6

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

The Christ's College Rifles have made considerable improvements to the interior of their orderly-room, which is now one of the most comfortable and best fitted rooms of its kind in Christchurch. The walls, which have been varnished, are hung with a number of pictures, among them portraits of Her Majesty the Queen, Lord Wolseley, and of other officers, not omitting Sir George Whitmore, Commander of the New Zealand forces. Yesterday afternoon Mr Austin, District Engineer of the Public Works Department, visited the site on the sandhills, proposed to be acquired by the Government for the purposes of a rifle range. He inspected the land required for the range itself, and also the Drainage Reserve, which, if the range were formed, it would be necessary to obtain for the purpose of affording a " flight" for the bullets. He will report on the safety and general suitability of the site to the Government. The Mounted Rifles are making arrangements for procuring helmets, which will be a decided improvement to the uniform of this smart corps. The following promotions have been made by Major Slater, the officer in command: Sergeant J. W. Wright to be Colour-Sergeant, Corporals C. Palairet and W. Reese to be Sergeants, and Troopers Kilgour and Earnshaw to be Corporals. Intelligence was received from Wellington that the three nine-pounder Armstrongs for the E Battery of Artillery were to leave Wellington in the s s. Hawea last night. The Lyttelton Naval Artillery beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of a gold-mounted scarf pin from Mr H. Lake, stationer, Lyttelton, to be fired for by member? of their company who have not previously fired ina match. EXAMINATION OF N.C. OFFICERS. '' The following non-commissioned officers at Timaru were examined on Friday night by Major Newall, as to their fitness for the position they hold, and all paased the examination in a satisfactory manner. The following is the list:— NAVALS. First Class Petty Officer Stokes „ „ Bradley „ „ „ Lane Second Class „ „ Shattock C BATTERY OF ARTILLERY. Corporal Hill „ Hughes RIFLES. Sergeant Pratt „ Beckinghatn Corporal Doig.