THE VOLUNTEERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14498, 9 October 1907, Page 8

THE VOLUNTEERS.

THE CANTERBURY YEOMANRY OA V ALRY ENCAMPMENT. The Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry Volunteer Corps is at present undergoing its annual training. The corps went into camp at the Addington Show Grounds on Saturday, and will remain there till Monday. Lieutenant Buchanan is the officer in charge, and with him are Lieutenants Rhodes and Dixon, while the camp instructors are Lieutenant Rodgers and SergeantMajor Wood. There are about fifty men in camp, accommodated in ten circular tents while some of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s outbuildings have been utilised as messrooms, orderly-rooms, kitchen, etc. The company rides far afield each day, yesterday’s scone of action being in the neighbourhood of the Empire” Bridge over the Waimakariri, where the North Canterbury Mounted Rifles engaged with the cavalry in a sham tight. Tho rifles, numbering thirty, under Lieutenants Fantham and Moody, left their encampment at the Rangiora racecourse at_7 a.m., and proceeding across tho Empire Bridge, attacked Christchurch, which was defended by tho Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, lorty strong, under Lieutenant H. Buchanan, who had with him Lieutenants Rhodes and Dixon. The defenders left Addington shortly after 8 a.m., and got in touch with the attackers at about 9 o’clock. Skirmishing continued until 12.30 p.m., when Lieutenant-Colonel Davies, who was umpire, declared the battle a drawn _pno. He criticised the work done by both parties, and said that both squadrons had been split up too much. Lieutenant-Colonel Hawkins, officer commanding the district, was present at the manoeuvres. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s annual military sport® will be held at the Show Ground®, Addington, on Saturday,

At Gulverdeu on Friday tie No. 2 Regiment of North Canterbury Mounted Rifles will ho inspected, and will march in review past the tiouorary Colonel, her Excellency Lady Pluntet, who will arrive in Christchurch this morning. The regiment will go into camp at the Culverden. racecourse on Thursday, and it is- expected that the four squadrons comprising it will be strongly represented. The North Canterbury Mounted Rifles will entrain for Oulvemen at Rangiora at 8.45 a.m. on Thursday, and the Gust Mounted Rifles will proceed from the same station at 1.20 p.m. on the same day on a special train, which will also convey her Excellency. The Cheviot section of the Amnri Mounted Rifles will be entrained at Waipara, and the Kaikoura Mounted Rifles will proceed to .the camp by road. Lieutenant-Colonel R. A. Chaffey, V.D., will command the regiment in camp and at the review. Her Excellency will leave for Culverden on Thursday by the noon train, make her inspection on Friday, and return to Christchurch'that day, leaving for Wellington on Saturday evening. _ She will be accompanied by Captain Lyon, A.D.C., and the Hon Kathleen Plnnkct. Her Excellency will attend the review in the full uniform of her rank. On Friday morning, a rifle match will bo fired. The shooting from horseback competition for Mr Duncan Rutherford’s challenge belt will be decided, and teams of tom - men from the squadrons of the regiment will compete for gold medals presented by Lieutenant H. Buchanan, -of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry. At noon the , review will commence with the inarch past, and an hour later luncheon will be served. In the; afternoon, beginning at two o’clock, military sports will bo held at the camp, and in the evening an entertainment will be given In the Drill Hall. • . It has been suggested that a "Volunteer company or two should he formed among the members of the Young Men’s Christian Association in Christchurch. Tiiese number several hundreds, and there should, be no difficulty in finding enough of them willing to be Volunteers to form at least one strong company. Messrs Jones and Sons, High Street, have made four very neat and artistic medals, which will he offered by' Lieutenant H. D. Buchanan as prizes for field _ firing competitions at the mounted rifles’ review at Culverden on Friday. The medals are In gold, but the design gives on the front a ram’s_ head in silver, and the motto of the North Canterbury Rifles, “Pro focis et patria.” On the reverse there are two silver rifles, crossed. . ■ ■ A course of instruction for officers and non-commissioned officers, in field artillery work, will be begun on the Hutt Park Racecourse, Wellington, on October 15. It is understood that among those who will attend it will be Lieutenant Sandle, Corporals Rutland and Bradley and Bombardier Duff, of the detachment of Royal New Zealand Artillery stationed at Lyttelton, and Acting-Captain Duncan and Lieutenant Beattie, of the E Battery.