VOLUNTEER AMD SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 14 October 1903, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AMD SERVICE JOTTINGS.

[BY SENTINEL.] Considerably over 20,000 rounds of ammunition have been used at the miniature rifle range, Drill Hall, since its opening.

The sub-committee of the Akarana Rifle Club, appointed for the purpose- of securing a new riflo range, are still casting: about :i'or a suitable site handy to town.

A meeting of the College Rifles will bo held in the company's orderly-room after parade on Tuesday evening next for the purpose of electing a lieutenant.

In the King's Prize fit the Victor Rifle Association meeting this year th»re will bo four stages instead of three as heretofore. The fourth stage is 10 shots »f 1000 yds and is limited to tho 40 highest ag gregates in the other three stages.

The annual meeting of members of tin Akarana Rifle Club will bo held at the oißcti of the president (Mr. W. Thome) this evening. Jn addition to routine business the fixing of a, date for the reopening of the season ; will be dealt with, and the trophies iron '• during last year will be presented to the J winners.

Captain 11. Potter, who is interesting himself in the formation of a division of th» O Squadron (Seddon Hor?e) Ist Regirrenfc Auckland Mounted Rifles at tho Wade, wan \ in town during the week. He informed me that the Wade recruits are just tho stamp of; men required, and very enthusiastic. .]■

On Saturday week (October 24) tho O Squadron Ist Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles goes into camp at Lake Takapuna for the annual course of training. The squad-' , ron is recruiting freely, and only a few vacancies now remain. Both men and; horses must be well up to tho standard. /-,

The Garrison Rand will render a musical programme on the top of Mount Eden oi»; = Sunday afternoon next. The proceeds from this, and the concert and dance to be held vK in' St. Benedict's Hall. on. Monday, Nov em-' / bar 2, will go towards the fund for defraying;;;; the band's expenses to the big band contest ;■ ":\ nest year. :' ; ■•

The No. 8 Company New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers (lata Ponsonby Navals) mustered in strong. for<» at the Drill.'] Hall on Monday evening, when the. monthly : Government inspection, was held. The ■ corps' fine new artillery uniform came in for a lot of admiration. On Monday next the company will parade for instruction in the new infantry drill. ' ■'.'

The C Squadron Ist Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles will pay a visit to the Wado next Saturday afternoon. They leave Aucky laud by steamer at one p.m., and call alt the Devonporl; and Lake wharves en route to pickup members. A band will accompany the squadron, and a social will be held in the. Wade Ha 1 ! during the evening. The swear-ing-in- o.i recruits will take place- prior to the social. '....'

Members of the Fourth and Seventh. New, ?.o Zealand Contingents who served in South,;;; Africa will be pleased to hear that Colonel; a; Bauchop, C.M.G., has settled ' down at Jo--J >| hannesburg: . The ex-New Zealande:,-— i; Surgeon-Captain J. 11. Neil informs me—-ifl :. with a big trading firm, and has not carried«* out his intention of visiting Rhodesia, being,, K4 apparently, quite satisfied witli his prospects . ■ on the Rand. .-■-..";';''.,'■''

Colonel Davies, C.8., officer in command! of the Auckland volunteer district, inspected the two Thames volunteer companies on Monday night, alter which he examined sis: non-commissioned officers from, the Haurjvlci Rifles Mid one from the Thames No. 1 Rifle* for their proficiency certificates. Yesterday the colonel inspected the new rifle range, which 39 being prepared at Pavawai for tins use or the local volunteers. . .

Private W. Cox was responsible for a very creditable performance at tins Mount -Edei* rifle range last Saturday afternoon, when lie succeeded iv registering 14 hits (highest possible) in the competition by the Victoria Rifles at disappearing targets for trophies presented by Sergeant J. Kerr and the company's Shooting Committee. The range was-, of course, 200 yard;, seven shots promt and seven sitting, at targets exposed for 5,5. :

The secretary for the grand military gymkhana to he held at Alexandra Park on Saturday, November 21, informs me that arrangements are proceeding apace, and that there is every indication of large entries being, received for the various events on the attractive prolamine prepared for- . the occasion. The gymkhana is being' promoted by the Ist Regiment Auckland • Mounted Rifles, and half the net proceeds - ' will lie handed over to the Veterans' Home • ' ;/ fund. ' ■'-':>

A shooting match has been arranged be- .. ■••■ tween the No. 1 Native Rifles and the .No. i .' Company New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers (late Auckland Navals), and will take place on the Mount Eden range on Saturday afternoon next. The _ conditions, provide" for teams of 12 men a-side, the 10 ■- highest aggregates to count, seven shots . prone and "seven sitting, at 200 yds, one «rditer to be allowed. The following: will tewesent the Natives: — Colour-Sergeant;r;SS Reid, Sergeant Gamble, Corporals King, _ Beetbam, Smith, Ramsay, Volunteer"! Stephens,.Lucas, .Wbitcombe, Eyes, A. Stnwarl, Bensley. ' ; '^M''B

With a view to attracting the attention pi the officers in his command to'the vital im- .:■ portance of horse management,; Field-Mar- ,; 5; shal Sir Evelyn Wood is presenting .A cup; to be competed for by officers in the 2nd Army Corps, for a long; distance compass bearing ride. This is practically an application of the "chart and compass ra<«" so popular amongst cavalry soldiers in India. The conditions of the field-marshal's cup are . .; designed so that the officer who brings ma: horse in after a 25-milft ride in the shortest time and the best condition will win, the condition of the horse being the main factor. To this end some of the conditions are as follows:—"No sticks or whips are to b« ; carried." "Any competitor who ha;> spur * marks on Ids horse on completing the course ■ ;'■ mil be disqualified, or whose horse fails to eat half a feed of corn within one hour of ';. completing the course will be disqualified.

The War Office is incorrigible. It i* spending no less, than £20,500 on the compilation of a ponderous official history of the. South African war, as though there hud not* ,

been enough extravagance in its manage-; ment of that enterprise of many blunders. v People are asking (remarks the Melbourne Age's London correspondent) what will .be ; the use or purpose of so costly a record, i ;: Its use is not easy to foresee; its purpose, in part at least, will bo to disguise tha complexion of military incompetency. Tho . work' ; g is to be done by a specially selected major-: c general, with a stall', of assistants, and lbe", ; j; t'ween them they will .spend about «W00:■.».,..-; yfcar in the course of their leisurely labours. Doubtless they will ."mite the historians hip and thigh. It is said- that . first portion of the work will appear,e»rt/>. •;,- in &07, but it would.b* ra*h to repose ~ confidence in the statement.. i '.'.,■''■ :.'" ■■■;;'. ■'. " ■'.- ■-:■■ \J, l ;-j"-"-.!r : -v >;:*: