THE EASTER VOLUNTEER MANŒUVRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12524, 17 March 1904, Page 4

THE EASTER VOLUNTEER MANŒUVRES.

It is the intention of the Auckland Defence Authorities to carry out a series of volunteer manoeuvres during the Easter holidays, manoeuvres such as may prove of practical value to the forcGß should occasion arise at any future period for them to defend the port against a hostile invasion by sea. A ■■few. days age officers commanding the several volunteer districts were summoned by the Minister for Defence to attend a conference at Wellington for the purpose of formulating a scheme whereby our citizen soldiers might be made acquainted with the duties that would devolve upon them should they ever be called upon to repel an attempted landing at the principal ports from an enemy's cruisers. The scheme wa3 duly formulated, but owing to certain obstacles- said to exist the idea has since been abandoned in the districts outside Auckland, Colonel Davies, however, is confident that the obstacles can be overcome, and is determined to proceed with the manoeuvres as far as Auckland is concerned. To ensure success he has already approached His Worship the Mayor and the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, with a view to enlisting their sympathy and active co-operation in removing what is perhaps the only obstacle that blocks the way to complete success—the obtaining from employers of leave of absence for the volunteers over the required period. It is absolutely necessary that the men should be freed from their ordinary occupations between midday on Good Friday and the corresponding hour on Easter Monday. The Easter vacation is about the only period during the year when it is possible for the military authorities to get the volunteers together for training, and gaining that thorough knowledge of the duties to which the indoor work and company parades throughout the year form but a preliminary step. When Colonel Davies took over the command of the Auckland volunteer district he announced his determina* tiott to make it the leading military district in the colony, and with a little' encouragement and assistance from the public such as he now appeals for, there is no reason why it should not speedily attain that distinction. •.