VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11823, 28 November 1901, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

[Br sextixel.]

As the tenders for the new drill ehed for the Auckland volunteers have to go to Wellington for consideration, it is hardly probable that the building will bo completed by the end of the present volunteer year, February 28, 1902.

A Southern writet states ilia; it is probable that ;, school of instruction Tor noncommissioned officer- will be held in Christchurch shortly. Engineering is said to be one of the subjects to ha specially taught, while musketry will also occupy a prominent piece.

The time lias arrived for the annual firm?; for Clark's cup, but as oni volunteers will soon be busy with their class-firing, it seems more than probable that there will be again no competition. This will maKo the third successive year the competition . has been shelved.

It wai announced some time bark that the Government intended sending a contingent to England to represent the colony at the King's coronation ceremonies, but nothing lias sine* been heard of the matter. If the proposal is to be carried out the sooner some definite information- is issv.ee* concerning the conditions, etc., the better.

Major Holgate, who has been on leavr of absence fot three months, returned from a visit to Australia a day oi two back, and lias resumed command of the Auckland' Mounted Rifles. Now that the major is with us again, no doubt the necessary steps will be taken to form the long-talked-ok mounted infantry battalion.

The Auckland Engineers, at present under the command of Lieutenant 11. Tappet, are making good progress in the various duties pertaining to this import-ant branch of the service. Work has been resumed, under an instructor from the forts, and includes pon- *' toon bridging in miniature, while on? squad is busily engaged in electrical work.

The Eden Cadets coast the strongest muster at the Domain camp, no less than 68 of all ranks marching in on Saturday last Some of the battalion corps were considerably short of halt-strength, anions the companies failing to toUl 20 on parade neing the College and Newton Rifles. The Gordon Rifles mustered strongest of the oattalion corps, the number on parade being 48 when they went into camp.

With a view to allowing members belonging to volunteer companies to go into camp with their comrades, the Management Committee of the Akarana Rifle Club postponed all competitions for trophies last. Saturday. It must, therefore, have come as a surprise to those concerned to find on picking tip their papers on Monday morning tho name of one well-known volunteev figuring among the list of those who attended at the range for practice.

The black handkerchief which the sailor of the Royal Navy knots around his throat was first worn as mourning for Nelson, and has ever since been retained; while the bright stripes around the broad blue collar of the sailor's jumper commemorate the victories of Trafalgar, Copenhagen, and the Nile. The broad blu-3 colia: itself is oldev than Nelson, and was first adopted at that period when sailers plastered their hair into o stiff pigtail with grease and powdei. .

Judging by the 7iew regulations tor physical and medical examination: for officers of the British army, youths of sixteen last birthday, who may be " 72in and upwards," are expected to have a girth of 35iin. Th? candidate's height is to be noted to the eighth of an inch., As to eyesight, the would-be officer must be able to read D— at 20ft. Th* ; Medical Board having attended to a catalogue of instructions, will finish bj stating whether in their opinion tho applicant is of pure European descent.

A warm word of praise is duo to Lieutenant Dormer, battalion quartermaster, for the manner in which he laid out th» camp a'i the Domain, the arrangement and distribution of tents ot the various officers and companies and othei details being most complete and convenient. The battalion quartermaster is the right man in the right place, and I trust that there is nc truth in the rumour that this is to be. his last tamp, as it would be very hard tc find the veteran's eqtiaJ for this particulai class of work.

A meeting of the Council of the Auckland Rifle Association was held tho othes. evening, when it was decided that tho annual prize-firing meeting should take place at the Waihi range on January i and following days. A most attractive programme is in course of preparation, and circulars are to be sent to all corps inviting entries, and setting forth details concerning tho meeting. Provided the Government grant is forthcoming, the gathering will no doubt be the most largely attended since the formation of the association. *-, , :

According to an exchange the Balance Department lias been recommended to appoint = Colonels Somerville and Collins as an executive committee to carry out the arrangements in connection with the next New Zealand Rifle Association meeting, which will probably be held in February. So fai it is . not 'mown what the Government proposals are, or what amount will be voted for the meeting, but it is to be hoped that particulars will be available shortly, as the selection; of the Bisley tearp will also have to be con- ' sidered at this meeting.

The companies of the No. 1 Battalion Auckland Infantry, have spent most of their time at battalion drill since going into camp, in view of the Government inspection by Lieutenant-Colonel Dovies, C.8., on Friday. Ot course, the officer commanding the district will not find them particularly well forward iv this class of work, as little or nothing in the way of battalion movements has been done since las' encampment, which means that the Colonel will find in the ranks a large proportion of recruits, entirely new to battalion drill. This being so, I trust Colonel Davies will make a little allowance for any shortcoming that may come under his eye. ■ _

The competition at the final range (500 yds, 10 shots each) for the Schapp memorial belt by the members of the Victoria llifles, last Saturday, provided the closest finish I can remember in connection with the company's annual event. The trophy went to Lieutenant Cox, with 48 points of a possible 50, Volunteers Tobin and Carlson finishing only one point behind (47 each), while Volunteer Kerr caino next in order, with 46 points. No sighters were used. The belt was last year held by Sergeant Kretsehmar, and since first presented to the company has passed through the hands of Lieutenant Cox (previous occasion), Volunteer Chatfield, Lieu-tenant-Colonel White (then officer commanding the corps), 'Sergeant Preston, Volunteers T. Fairs (twice), M. Fairs, Cantell, Beamish, and Colour-Sergeant Skinner, all of whose names figure on silver plates. The Colour-Sergeant Skinner referred to is the present commanding officer of the corps,; Captain L. Skinner.

Russia, has ben so anxious to increasa her fleet that during the last few years she has had ships built for hex in France, Germany, the United States, and Denmark— her own shipyard? being at the, same time worked to the greatest capacity, whilst they are being continually enlarged. Since 1890, says a writer in Blackwood's Magazine, the strength of the sea-going Russian fleet has been at leas?; doubled. Franco has pushed on steadily with her shipbuilding during the last ten years, but there has not been tho same phenomenal increase in her navy as iti those of her neighbours. She has done a great deal of work in her shipyards for Russia, and some for Brazil, Greece, and Spain, so that she can readily increase her rate of building by utilising her resources for enlarging her own navy." Whether she will rest content in view of the great advance which Germany has decided upon remains to be proved; the sea-power of the Dual Alliance has greatly increased of late years, but Russia has contributed more than France.

Lieutenant-Colonel Davies, C.8., officer commanding the Auckland volunteer district, is expected back from his tour of inspection of up-country companies to-day. From what I can gather, the* Colonel was agreeably surprised with the Rotorua RiCes, which company turned out in good force for inspection, and went through their drill in a most creditable manner for a corps that has only been in existence about 12 or 15 months. The Colonel was also delighted with the fine physique of the men, among whom there are several natives. Less gratifying appear--to have been the result of his inspection of the Tauranga Corps, where the muster was not up to expectations, and the drill somewhat poor. Colonel Danes, however, seems to have addressed a few words of encouragement to the. corps, and it is to he hoped that there will bo some improvement noticeable when ho comes to make his second visit to Tauranga. Captain Reid. districi adjutant, who left with Colonel Davies, returned to town on Monday, and left again the same ovening for iWijangaioi.