VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2478, 14 August 1903, Page 4

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

[Br Sentry. | New Regulations re efficiency payments and badges, which have been gazetted, allow that each squadron or company of mounted. rifles, infantry and cyclists can qualify four men who will receive a badge and £1 personal payment per year for efficiency in signalling, practical examination only. The minimum rate is four words per minute and 93 per cent of accuracy. The 20 members of mounted rifles 16 members of rifles and 6 members of cycle corps, who, in qualifying for marksmen's badges, make the highest score in their squadron or company will receive a payment of 10s each for current year and the highest scorer in the regiment or batttalion will receive an additional 10s. The Queenstown Rifles paraded last Tuesday evening in the Garrison Hall. In the absence of Capt. Porter, Lieut. Reid took charge of the company and put it through a number of movements, after which the color-sergeant and sergeants exercised the various sections in firing exercises, etc. At the conclusion of the drill the following volunteers were notified as having merited the three years'efficient service silk badges:—Col.-Sergt. Reid, Sergts. Boyne, Domigan, Gavin and M'Dowall, Corps. Kelly, Warren and Reid, L.-Oorp. Boyes, Bugler Fraser, Ptes. Angelo, Bone, Bryant, Henry Canning, Farrant, Geisow, Grant, Mehaffey, W. M'Dowall, I). F. Mackenzie, M'Mullan, O'Kane, Plato, H. Porter, Simmers, Spear and Tallentire. Those who were present were handed

their badges. Several members of the Q.R.V. have formed themselves into a class for the purpose of learning the very useful art of signalling. Color-Sergt. Reid has kindly undertaken the instruction of the men. A few lessons have already been given and if any other volunteer wishes to learn he should join the class at once. At Beach Bay on Monday last, after drill, the Beach Bay and Sunnyside section of the Queenstown Rifles presented Col.-Sergt. Reid with a silvermounted military cane as a token of good-will and in recognition of his valuable services as an instructor of the section. The cane bears the following inscription: "To Col.-Sergt. Geo Reid, from S.S. and B.B! section of Q.R.V., June, 1903." Mr A. Wither made the presentation and referred to the esteem in which Col.-Sergt. Reid was held by the section. Mr Reid suitably replied. Those volunteers who are going in for the signalling examinations will be interested to know that a new army publication, entitled ' Signalling,' has just been issued. The book sets forth everything a signaller needs to know. Both Morse and semaphore codes, helio, and lamp work are fully explained. Message forms, abbreviations, and tables showing how to arrive at the percentage of letters read correctly are also added. As these tables are arranged on the ready-reckoner plan they are very convenient, and will no doubt be very useful, but the man who wants to thoroughly master the whole business, would, I think, do well to look into the arithmetic of the matter in such a way that he will be independent of these tables.