VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12546, 13 April 1904, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

[bt SENTINEL.}

The annual meeting of the Auckland Mounted Rifles ("A" Squadron) will be held at the orderly room on Saturday evening next, at eight p.m. • !

The following is going the rounds: — "Australian papers have already got hold of the news item that the New Zealand rifle championship is held by, a Chinaman named Ah Ghing!" Rather rough on the Nelson crack, this! *

Owing to the unsatisfactory arrangements in connection with the recent shooting at Penrose foi the Government medals, there is a strong opinion on the part of the majority of those who took part that the competition should be re-lircd.

On Saturday next the members of the No. 8 Company, New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers (Ponsonby Navals), finish the first shooting match for the company's champion bolt, and a fortnight later the second competition will take place.

The monthly socials instituted by the No. 8 Company, New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers (Ponsonby Navals), last winter were resumed on Friday evening last, when members and friends spent a very pleasant time. The socials will be continued monthly.

The members of the Victoria Rifles intend entertaining' Private W. Cox at a social evening prior to his departure for England as a member of the liisley team, They will at the same time entertain the detachment that won the Maxim gun competition at the recent carnival at Rotorua.

Shooting men are anxiously awaiting the fixing of the dates for the competitions for the Buchanan cup, the district belt, and Clark's cup. A range is now available at Penrose, and unless the competitions are got oil' at an early date they will have to be hung up till next year, as the winter months will soon be with us.

Mr J. H. Upton lias offered LieutenantColonel Hoi gate £20, to be spent in connection with the latter's regiment (First Auckland Mounted Rifles) in any way which he considers may most benefit his men. This regiment is in luck, as it is only quite recently that Mr, J. H. Kirker handed over £25, to bo expended in a shield, presented during tin Easter camp last week.

The gun which Captain Roberts, son of the Commander-in-Cnief, lost his life iri rescuing from the Boers, at the battle of Ccienso'. has arrived at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. An inscription, approved by the War Office, recording the heroism of the deceased officer, is being engraved upon the gun. When completed, the cannon is to be presented to Earl" Roberts as a family heirloom.

Private W. Cox, the Auckland member of the New Zealand rifle team for Bisley, lc ivcs for Wellington next Sunday week, to join his comrades. The team, which will be under the management of Colonel Collins, of Wellington, leaves for England on Thursday, April 28, by the Athcnio, and should arrive in time to liavo a reasonable amount of practice before the opening of the Bisley , meeting. j

1 understand that the "C" Squadron, Auckland Mounted Rifles, now known as the Seddon Horse, will shortly change the name of the company to the Waiiemata Mounted, Rides. The majority of our mounted' corps take their name from the district in which they are brought into existence, and in changing their name the Seddon Horso will thus be corning into line with other companies round about Auckland.

| Results are now to hand for the officers' examinations, held some time ago, and 1 j note that- the six officers who presented j themselves in Auckland were success •They were: Acting-Major Hume, of the j Waikato, who went up for his majority: I -Captain W. R. Bloomfield, "C" | Squadron. Auckland Mounted Rifles, for (captaincy: and Acting-Lieutenants Crofcer tßodnev Mounted Rifles), Matthews (MangoI mii Mounted Rifles). Carpenter (Auckland ! Engineers), and Sherson ("A" Battery Artili lory).

A shooting' match by members of the Auckland Mounted Rifles ("A" Squadron) will take pli.eo at- the Penrose ' range on Saturday next (the 16th). for Mr. Dalton's trophy, commencing at half-past one p.m. The ranges will be 300 yds and 500 yds (Bi.siev targets), seven shots at each range, with one sighter (not to count). The scores will count for a handicap match for Messrs. llallenstein Brothers' trophy, and also a match, Right v. Left Troop. Ammunition will lie free. Afternoon tea will be provided for tit" friends of the squadron. Khaki uniform will be worn.

The final match for the Devonport Submarine Mining Volunteers' challenge cup was fired on Saturday last, when Seaman J. H. Langby further increased the lead established in the first competition, and wound up with an aggregate of 173 points, IP.O. Is el son finishing up second with 155, a matter of IS points below the top score. Having won the competition two years in succession the trophy now becomes Langley's personal property, and it may be said that lie richly deserves his success, as he is one of the few members of the corps who have devoted attention to rifle-shooting. Though not in the first-class division. Seaman Langlev lias been a consistent shot for some years past, and a regular competitor at local meetings.

A Te Aroha maiksman writes drawing: attention to the claims of Sergeant Maingay for inclusion in the Xew Zealand rifle team for the Bisiev meeting, in preference to Smaile, of Kaitaugata, who figures as one of the chosen 12. In support, lie points out that Maingay should, properly speaking, have figured 28t.h in the recent championship aggregate, in place of the ICaitangata rifleman," inasmuch a; the Aucklander's score was a better one at the longer ranges, and both finished up with an aggregate of 505 points. If my correspondent will turn to my notes,' appearing in the HrßAtn of Wednesday, March 30, he will find that I then drew "attention to the fact that Sergeant Maingay, Private P. Brown, and Lieutenant R. G. Cox (all of Auckland), were all entitled to places before Smaile.

It was recently announced that Colonel Collins, who goes to England in charge of the Bis'cy team, was endeavouring to induce the Defence Department to consent to the dozen Frascr rifles, at present in store in Wellington, being sent Home for the use of the team, and that if he succeeded the rifles will probably have new barrels fitted on arrival in England. The Eraser rifles mentioned were bought some year? ago, and were first used by the colony's team which competed at the Commonwealth shooting meeting held at Sydney in 1903. The 1902 Bisley team took the rifles to England, but discarded them in favour of new British Government ones, which were supplied at Bisley. These rifles gave every satisfaction. Members of the last New Zealand team did not like the Eraser rifles at all.

The War Office has directed the attention of general and other officers commanding troops to the importance of semaphore signalling as an easy means of communication between outposts, scouting parties and other detachments, for which trained signallers are not available. The system is stated to be easily learned, and steps are to be taken at once to ensure that all officers and noncommissioned officers, and a proportion of men (at least 20 per cent, in cavalry and infantry, and 6 pei cent, of other arms) are instructed. Proficiency in reading and sending only is required; the intricacies of the trained signaller's system of message work will be ignored, and flags are unnecessary. Instruction is to be given regimentally, and will form part of the annual course of training. Semaphore signalling should be made compulsory in this colony's defence force.

. As already announced in those columns, it has been definitely settled that no Australian team shall visit Bisley this year, the Federal Government having finally decided ; not to allocate the money (about £2000) necessary for the purpose. This fact (says a Melbourne paper), besides causing disappointment to ail well-wishers of rifle-shooting iu Australia, places the Commonwealth in an unenviable light before the world, as the Kolapore Cup, now in its possession, as the result of having won it last year, will have to be given up without the semblance of an effort to defend or retain it. The prevailing opinion in rifle-shooting circles is that the Commonwealth Government has entirely failed to realise its just responsibilities ir> this matter. In view of what has been done by public subscription last year and the previous year in sending teams to Bisley, it was k thought that Parliament might fittingly- be

expected .to come to the rescue this year. But the expectation baa proved vain; and Australia will liavo to stand down, while other portions of the Empire of less skill and resource in rifle-shooting gain kudos and renown by taking part in the annual gathering of the Empire's talent at Bisley in July next.

Volunteer promotions, appointments, and resignations appearing in the New Zealand Gazette to hand during the week contain the following notices in connection with officers ot the Auckland district: Promotions: Lieutenant G. A. Ward, Taurang;a Mounted Rifles, to be captain; Lieutenant A. G. Le Fevre, Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, to be captain. Appointments: F. A. Wood, to bo a lieutenant, "A" Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery Volunteers; A. Carpenter, a lieutenant, Auckland Engineer Volunteers (No. 4 Company); Lieutenant W. R. Bloomfiold. Seddon Horse Mounted Rifles, to be captain; J. M. Roberts, jun., a lieutenant, Tauranga Mounted Rifles; L. J. Matthews, a lieutenant, Mangonui Mounted Rifles; E. A. Lee Croker, a lieutenant, Rodney Mounted Rifles; Henry J. Pearse, a lieutenant, Thames Rifle Volunteers; W. S. Clark, a lieutenant, Hauraki Rifle Volunteers; W. M. Jackson, a lieutenant. No. 3 Ohinemuri Rifle Volunteers; Charles Dee, a lieutenant, Whangarei Rifle Volunteers; G. A. Davidson, a lieutenant, Ivawakavra Rifle Volunteers; R. A. McMillan, a lientenant, Waihi Rifle Volunteers; George Coutts, a lieutenant, Hikurangi Rifle Volunteers. Resignations: Captain Henry Dell, tPukekohe Mounted Rifles; Lieutenant J. T. Swindle}', Hauraki Rifle Volunteers.

Colonel J. C. Hoad, C.M.G., who has been selected to represent the Australian forces at the Russo-Japanese* war, has for some years filled the post of deputy adjutant-gene-ral and chief staff officer on tho Commonwealth headquarters staff. He is 48 years of age, and received his first commission in "1884. Two years later he was appointed staff officer for the Cadet Corps, and subsequently was second in command of the Victorian Mounted Rifles. In 1895 he was appointed assistant adjutant-general to the Victorian forces, and on the arrival of MajorGeneral Sir Edwa cl Hutton to reorganise the Commonwealth forces he was appointed to the general's staff as chief staff officer. During 1890-91 Colonel Hoad underwent an extensive course of military training in England, being successively attached to the staff of mounted infantry at Aldorshot, the School of Signalling at Aldershot, the School of Military Engineering at Chatham, the School of Musketry atHythe, and during the autumn, manoeuvres in 1890 he was one of General Sii E. Wood's personal staff. He represented the Victorian headquarters staff at the Queen "Victoria Jubilee celebrations in London, and was attached to the personal staff of Earl Roberts, who then held the rank of Field-Marshal. During his visit to England Colonel Hoad had the opportunity of further extending his military knowledge by forming part of the staffs of His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught and M:-,'or-General Lord Methuen. He took part in the South African war, and was in command of a composite Australian regiment. Subsequently he was placed on the staff of an Australian mounted infantry brigade, ami took part in the action of Colesburg, the advance on Kimberley, and further operations in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. He was mentioned in despatches, and received the Queen's medal with three clasps, in addition to the order of C.M.G. '