VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11576, 14 February 1901, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

£bt sentinel.] '■.";:-'"" There is little likelihood of the field firing for Dr. J. Logan Campbell's money prizes taking place this month. The country volunteers who take part in Saturday's reception to the Imperial troops will arrive early on the morning of that day. ■ ', ' '."■ •', ■ . ~ Messrs. Atkinson and Mcintosh tied in the competition for the "A" class trophy at the Akarana range last Saturday with 62 points each, the former only winning on his card. Tho Penrose range not having been fitted up with additional targets, it will now be practically impossiblo to complete the district volley firing beforo the close of the present volunteer year. The Auckland Rifle Association meeting has been definitely fixed for March 15 and 16, and competitors intending to take part in the N.Z.R.A. meeting will have to leave for Wanganui almost immediately after the Auckland gathering. The shooting for the champion medals and shield fixed for Saturday next, at the Akarana club's range, will not now be fired until the Saturday following, the arrival ofthe Imperial troops in Auckland having been definitely fixed for tho 16th. inst. It has been understood for some months that the Government have been negotiating for the purchase of the site of the Penrose rifle range, but from what I can gather, the matter is no nearer completion now than" was the case when negotiations were opened. Several members of the Ponsonby Navels presented themselves for examination for gunnery badges on Tuesday evening last, and all succeeded in getting through. The badges carry with them a Government bonus of £1 for the first year and £2 for the second year. The Auckland Volunteer Cyclists' Corps has now recruited up to 1%, one below the required strength. The corps will receive the rifle clips, which arrived in Wellington recently from England, in the course of a few days, but goodness knows when they will get their bandoliers, etc. Mr. F. Thome having now won the trophy presented for competition, among the "B" class shots ot the Akarana Rifle Club (by Mr. R. G. Cor.) on two successive occasions, the medal now becomes his personal property. Thorne is a young and enthusiastic rifleman and gives considerable promise. Prior to the departure of Troopers Hurling and Warwick for South Africa, their comrades of the Ponsonby Navals presented them with a handsome silver campaign watch each. The presentation was made by Lieutenant-Commander Patterson on behalf of the company, and both watches contained suitable inscriptions kindly engraved free of charge at Mr. A. Kohn's establishment. .} ■

Messrs. Alfred Buckland and Sons and the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company have presented the Akarana Rifle Club with two handsome marble clocks for competition. One will go to each class, and the conditions of shooting will provide for seven. shots at 200 yds (kneeling), 500 yds and 600 yds, the trophies to be won twice in succession or - three times at intervals before becoming the property of any one person.

Statements have been made down South that Captain N. L. D. Smith, recently ,of the New Zealand Hotchkiss Battery in South Africa, is to be appointed officer commanding the Otago volunteer district. ' Captain Smith, however, states that he knows nothing ot the intentions of the Defence Department in this respect, all he knows being that he was recalled to the colony in connection with the reorganisation of the Department. .. He goes to Wellington shortly to take up his duties as staff officer to Colonel Penton.

The Auckland Navals are about to lose one of the most popular members of the corps in the person of C.P.O. W. E. Jackson, who leaves shorty to take up his residence at Wellington. Mr. Jackson always' took a lively interest in the welfare of the corps, and is a most enthusiastic rifleman, being one of the best shots in his company, I 'and honorary secretary of the Akaran? Rifle » Club. Although the duties in connection with this latter body are by no means' light, Mr. Jackson lias carried them out thoroughly and well, and the club members will be as sorry to lose him as will his comrades of the Auckland Navals. - '"••

Shooting generally in the Canterbury district has improved very much during the past year, and this is shown especially in the class and volley firing scores, says the Southern writer "Bull's-eye." A year-or-two back the number of men who qualified to shoot for the marksmen's badge was, v compared to the number of men, compara- > tively few, but now it is almost the exception for men not to qualify. Then, again, look at the medal. firing. A few years back 90 was looked upon as exceptional, and, in., fact, 80 was classed as a. good score, now 80's are very second-class, and the local competition is won with a score of 100, and on an unfavourable day, too. The volley-firing also shows a marked improvement, and. this,v ; perhaps, points more to the all-round nn--provement of the shooting than individual ; firing does. The scores all round are raised v year by year, and whereas 15 was looked v upon as sure to get well up in the prize list a few years back, it is regarded as having a remote chance now. : ~: