VOLUNTEER INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5635, 8 December 1879, Page 5

VOLUNTEER INTELLIGENCE.

In future time the honour will be accorded to No. 3 Company A.R.V. of having initiated and shown the feasibility of carrying out judging distance amongst Volunteers. 'J his most important part of a Volunteer's instruction has hitherto been entirely negleC e.-?, to the standing rtproach of the sy:t-in as hitherto administered ; for everyone at all acquainted with musketry iiiu-t know the first thing in the tii-ld required would be a knowledge of distance--, as the bullet travels ou a cuived line, which curve increases with the distance. It is all very well to be a! le on ,-. range to thoot at a known and measured distance, but if tome of our b-st shots were taken oj to tome open beach, aud the targets shifted every ELot to unknown di-tauces, the score 3 would look very diffennt to what they do now. 'ihe knowledge of the /act that prizefiriug i-s the present main incentive for oi. v Volunt-.tr shots to perfect themselves in the use of the rifle, has cause! the instructor of No. 3 to try to iuilucg tDC O ■ veroiQtn t to cotnbiLie a judging distance v.ith every target match over 300 when the prizes come out of the public money. Ihe feasibility of carrying out judging dis'aace was shown in the Dornaiu Jass Saturday, the practice b.ing carried out by one vi the youngest sergesuta in the Volunteer force, with only tive minutes' previous instruction. We hive devoted seme sp.ee to this subject, being convinced of its importance, r.s showing the present system of Volunteerina, as far as the practical use of the rifle is concerned, to be a snare and a delusion. Tha instructor of No. 3 will,we believe.on Friday.night.at S o'clock, iu.ihe Parnell Hall, demonstrate by meana of a mechanical trajectory, the fact that out oi the twenty judtm- nta here recorded, only six wculd have been at all likely to hit a man. Members of ether companies would (if they feel interested in the question) dc well to be present, as we are quite certain they would be welcomed by the officers. In the following score, "Ans." means the answer civeri by competitor ; "Bif." means the difference between the actual distance; and the answer, "Pes.' , means points made. The competitor, jnrlgiug within 30 yards, pet? one point; within 20 yards, two points. In tbe event of tie?, the nearest f;r jss apjr.ixin;at;on decides. In this pract'ee Moore takes it. In the event of the absence of point?, the nearest approximations to count in their order. The scale on tbe range-tinder UEed was marked by a Volunteer GO years of me. In future practices, the scale will be markeel by men of between 20 and 30 years of age. Sabjoined is the Ecore : —

The monthly competition for prizes took place r n Saturday afternoorj, Cth instant, at -•iou-.t I ."den ltaoge, under the supervision oi iiajur iJerrom. A strong wind was blowing from the sta, and being very unsteady (i trea-bc-rous wind some called it), was de I'initutal to brilliant shooting ; some excellent icons, however, were made, and the g-iieral average is really good. The prizes "e-silver cup (Mr. Little's piize), silver ttajo- (Ladie, , prize), and revolver (Mr. JUzinr-i p>he). There an also several money an 1 i.ihc-r prizes. It ia not yet decided who ait t;.e principal prize winners, as points huv- to b. added and deducted for attendance i;n i n< n-attendaiice at parade arid <l:iil-. Mibjo:ne.d are tke scores : — ll'MM.y PilIZ'S COMTETITIO.V— VICTORIA

There was voy get.eral complaints at the disgraceful htit-j of[t,!;e targets, which ere merely, iu tLtir present eti-te, "scrap iron." Sjuiebody is mrely reponsible for this state of thing-i ; and we are surprised that the ctlicer in charge of the district does not move in th- matter to have ihe repairs effected without delay. The state of the targets at Mou;;t Kden has \v. eu complained of for mon'uha past, and no notice appears to be taken of the matter. lArhape, it will be ■"Ct'csary for the Volunteers to appeal to ?ur representatives in Wei ington, and try it something 'jould not be done to remedy (his evil.

MK.NTAL JUDGMENT Attr.a Actual Actual Grs. Pts. tli?. dl«. dif. Uin. 3'0 yards 500 yar-3 603 yards An-'l Dif Ans2 Dlf Ana 3 Dif Adrani .. 30} 0 o'O 0 650 50 50 i J.i's .. 350 50 470 30 800 200260 1 C Liier .. £OJ 0 550 50 7> 0 100 150 2 ll'.Uy .. 350 50 520 20 700 ICO 23« 2 Cuipm .. 250 50 520 20 SuO 200 '.!70 2 M-jc r-.- .. 30c) 0 iCK) J09 700 100 *200 2 J- ii-: t-l-cn .. 350 50 575 75 i'50 259 375 0 Cafciii,J*in>-a 600 2o>3 7tO r c00 750 100 690 0 Br u wD .. 35J M 600 100 i etircd 150 0 CiLil.J L Ln 350 50 5S0 SO 730 130 2C0 0 EaDjre Kinder. A'lrhra .. 350 50 500 0 C30 30 80 2 .. 400 1'0 5»0 40 7 0 120 2C0 0 Cr .6.- .. 4fO ICO 5S0 SO 750 150 330 0 Mo'.ioy .. 400 100 550 60 700 ?O > 250 0 pan .. 4 : .O 150 540 40 COO 0 100 2 lionre .. 350 50 £00 0 729 120 170 2 Nil ho'.! n 4'0 120 M'J 120 &uO 500 4)0 0 O.U-.1., .In. WO 300 70J 2C0 700 190 63J 0 Hrovvii .. 359 CO tOO 100 Retired 150 0 Cahi !. Jnn. 350 50 5S0 fcO 730 130 260 0

RIKLKS. 200 300 400 SCO COO Tds. yds. yds. yd'. jiln. Tl. V-; 11-2 ni '31S3 323-2 4443 2224 2343 CO C'j.-p: K , ,,.,, r 3 ;, 1:J 21S2 sa j4 3 223 33:4 OJ He;L-t ' T . or 3S33 2433 44::i 3234 3ll33 ti) t'i|I.I :./ih <1SJ2 4142 2232 lti-13 5-J , .1. Me w.il !,:>Ai -l:i.\ 33i3 -34n. I-.23I ■!> , •! I) si.tt 443! 3223 H133 Oi::in 4323 i>2 Vi 1 1; .isr, m ._. :-j;j3 3333 2B33 3K33 03li2 4 'J >. !:. ..'cL i,J 3233 3222 k1i34 4223 4i)s 48 ,,J. C.-m. r 2423 3-J32 3-33 i 232 22.0 41 >. II. .'-. 3lHin?al.: 322! 2i"3 2343 533a 00 >2 4-1 ,, II. 3223 3323 i4k2 U '2 0224 42