VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12654, 7 September 1904, Page 7

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

[BT SBNTINKL.] It is expected that one ■of the largest priy.efiring meetings yet promoted by country volunteers of the Auckland district will be held at Cambridge during the incoming shooting season. Lieutenant C. D. Pickering, R.N.R., who is the Royal navy registrar and recruiting officer for this colony, is at present in Christchurch enrolling recruits for the navy and the navy reserve. The members of the 0 Squadron Auckland Mounted Rifles (Soddon Horse) have lately spent several pounds in fitting up tho range at North Shore, and will shortly commence class and other firing. Tho next night parade of the companies forming the No. 1 Battalion Auckland Infantry is to be held on Wednesday, September 21. The men will then he put through some useful outdoor movements, including night-attack drill. It is intended shortly to arrange a mobilisation trial in the French army, with the intention of giving an idea as to what services would bo rendered by saddle horses requisitioned and taken straight from ordinary commercial work. Lieutenant G. B. Banks, who is a member of the clerical staff of tho New Zealand Insurance Company (Auckland), is to lie transferred to Invercargill shortly. While regretting his removal from their midst, his many friends will be pleased to hear that tho transfer carries with it promotion.

I have to thank the hon. secretary of the Social Committee (Sergeant E. E. Willoughby) for an invitation to attend the Auckland Garrison Non-commissioned Officers' Club's annual ball, to be held in the Choral Hall oa Friday, September 23. An energetic committee is at work, and everything point? to the function being the most successful yet promoted by the dub. Colonel White's paper on rifle-shooting proved most instructive to the members of the Garrison Officers' Club, so much so that the colonel has been requested to give a second paper dealing further with the subject. It 18 to be hoped that officers commanding corps will endeavour to give the men the benefit of the valuable information contained in the colonel's paper. The rumours to the effect that the wonderful precision of aim of the Japanese artillery displayed in the recent heavy fighting in the neighbourhood of Port Arthur is due to the use of large war kites, by means of which it has been possible to reconnoitre the Russian positions, loads an expert to remark in the Military Mail that the British army is still apparently very backward as regards the use of the war kite. A return shooting match between teams representing the No. 1 Native Rifles and Newton Rifles will be fired at Mount Eden range on Saturday next (September 10). The team to represent tho No. 1 Natives will be picked from the following:-— Colour-Ser-geant Reid. Sergeants Gambol, Smith, Campbell, Corporal Privates Cummins, Lucas, Eyes, Whitcombe, Collins, Bensley, Busby, D© Bin-is, Cnrsen, Kimber, Luke, and Stephens. The last time trieso two teams met the No. 1 Natives won by 55 points. During the month of September the timetable and officers for duty on the Mount Eden rifle range will be as under:—September 7, Lieutenant Cox; September 10, Gordon Rifles (resident marker), No. 1 Native Rifles, Captain Button; September 14, Lieutenant Derrom: September 17, "Victoria Rifles, No. 1 Garrison Artillery (resident marker), Captain Skinner; September 21, Lieutenant Lees; September 24. No. 2 Native Rifles, No. 9 Garrison Artillery, No. 3 Engineers (resident marker), Captain Napier; September 28. Lieutenant Lweft. The class of instruction for officers of the Auckland Garrison was opened at the Drill Hall on Monday evening last:, by Colonel Owen, and will continue open throe nights a. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays— for. some five or six weeks. The colonel's subject on Monday and Tuesday evenings was Discipline,'' and on Friday evening next the course of instruction will be on "Tactics." There was an attendance of about 25 officers both on Monday and Tuesday evenings, the class sitting each night from half-past seven till five minutes to ten p.m. Our Waihi correspondent writes:—Corporal Comes has added another win to his crediS in shooting competitions, he having been successful in winning a trophy presented to the Ohicemui'i Rifles No. 3 by Captain Jackson. The scores were as follows: Corporal Cornea (scratch), 86; Corporal L. C. Weir (scratch), 8*; Corporal Comer (handicap 5), ii 4; Private A, Samson (5), 84; Private L. C. Green ' \. 84; Captain Jackson (scratch), 81; Private W. Cornes (8), 79; Private Saunders (10), 79; Lieutenant Ready (scratch), 78 Private Moore (10), 77; Private W. Gardiner (5), 74; Private Leckey (8), 7,3, The many friends of Lieutenant Cecil Banks, eldest son of Colonel Banks (formerly officer commanding the Auckland volunteer district) will be pleased to learn that their old comrade is making good progress in his adopted profession. He is nt present with the Imperial forces in India, and was recently elected to fill the position of act-ing-brigade adjutant in tho field artillery | service. Lieutenant Banks was always recognised as a smart younsr omcer when a member of the Auckland Mounted Rifles, and later on, before joining the Imperial army, served with distinction as an officer of one of the New Zealand contingents in the South African war.

A cable message published in yesterday's Herald states that Mr. Willoughby, of Victoria, has won the Governor-General's prize ft the Dominion rifle meeting at Ottawa, Canada, Sergeant J. W. Ching, the New Zealand rifle champion, finishing second. The marksmen referred to are on their way back from the Bisley meeting and are evidently making good use of the opportunities offered for shooting. I must confess that I know little or nothing about the meeting in question, but from the title given the event won by the Victorian rifleman I should say that it is the Canadian equivalent of the coveted King's Prize at the English National Rifle Association's meeting at Bisley. In the course of a chat on shooting matters with a prominent country marksman during the week I was rather surprised to learn that shooting matters between town and country riflemen are not likely to work as smoothly as might be wished during the incoming season. From what I could gather, the members of country corps who attended the last Auckland Rifle Association's shooting meeting in town (January 1 and 2) were not altogether satisfied and went awav under the impression that they had not been too well treated by a section of the local competitors in connection with one of the events in which they fired. Iho committee of the Auckland Association should look into the matter in the hope of bringing about a better understanding between the town and country shootistß, as it is very desirable that both sections should work amicably together. There is no reason why two big meetings, should not be held annually in the district, the Olio in Auckland and the other at the most central and suitable country range. With satisfactory dates there should bo a arge attendance of country marksmen at the town meeting avid a good representation of town marksmen at the country meeting.

The colony of Natal (South Africa) is ahead of New Zealand in the matter of mobilised camps for public school cadets and it would be well if we took a fcaf out of Nfctal's book of progress and made an effort to establish mobilised camps for the cadets at stated intervals (says Trigger ). The proposal has been put forth by Lieu-tenant-Colonel Loveday on occasions, but so far the authorities have not seen fit to i'\«. effect to his suggestions. Individual school camps have been held, and probably the most enthusiastic master in tins respect is Mr J. Baldwin*, of the Sydenham -cimol Ohriatdmrch. The boys of that school heron several occasions been "«»»?* "J™ " f week at Governor's Bay, and the court* Of military instruction they have undergone hi had a marked effect on their general bearing; they have acquired an ittsitfhj into military work which may some day be useful in the defence of the Empire ami they hove been grounded in the principles of ,discipline, which tends to strengthen a boy s character. The cadets of other school. have been treated more or less to some form of camp training, but them IS not enough of it, and it is sale to assert that only a small proportion of school cadets have been under canvas. The expense of a mobilised camp is no doubt, the deterrent factor, ant if trie Government would subsidise the proposal there is little doubt that parents would be" only too pleased to give their quota. Much, of course, can be learned in the individual school camp, but unless a mobilised

camp, properly organised, can be arranged, it is practically impossible to give the lads an insight into the class of work whieii would be required in the field.

Writing from Paparoa, " Marksman " says: "'Sentinel:' Dear Sir,—ln recent Volunteer Jottings I was very pleased to see it suggested that 800ycts ? 900 yds, and lOOUycs ranges be adopted in place of the VOOyds at the next Rifle-Association meeting,, and also think it about time something was said about the inaccurate sighting of the .303 magazine rifles issued about three or four years ago and at present in use. Ido not know whether they are alike, but I have tested very carefully, on a calm day, about half-a-dozen of those issued to the Otamatea Mounted Rifles, and fount! only one to carry true. Some of them carried Sin to Win to the left, and others Bin to lOin to the right, at 200 yds, which means, about 25in at 500 yds, or 5-150ths by the vernier of the true line. I should like very much to know if the Auckland volunteers find the fame to be the case with their rifles, and, if so, why they do not complain about them,, because in active service they would be useless, as they would be placed in the hands of men who did cot know but that they - carried true. Having to fire through the vernier they could scarcely hit a man at 200 yds, let alone a longer range, and the sooner the weapons are called in and new ones obtained that will shoot straight the better. It is my opinion they 'nave been manufactured by contract at a low price by the thousand, and are « disgrace to the manufaoimrer. I am an old marksman and know what I am talking about, and not afraid to speak my mind. I should like to hear what other volunteers think about Mieni." U'erhaps some of our town marksmen will be good enough to give their experiences of the weapon through these columns." Sentinel."]

Writing on the closing stages of the Bisley meeting, at which the New Zealanders did so well, our Loudon correspondent. (July 29) says:— Bisley rifle meeting is over, and in some of the final events the names of some of the New Zealand shootists figure prominently. The winner of the King s Prize (gold m6dal, gold badge, arid was Private S. J. Perry, of Canada, wno had a total score of 321. Colour-Sorgeant R. Irvine, of New Zealand, secured 315, and thus became the possessor of a badge and £15; in the final stage* of 800 yds he scored 48, at 900 yds 47, and at lOOpyds 38. In the same, contest Sergeant L. 1. Band- ( ford, of New Zealand, scored a total of 2'< A | and so won a badge and £8; at the fcOQyds range he made 40, at 900 yds 36, and at 1000 yds 37. In " the &t. George s I Challenge Vase competition, whose final stage was 15 shots at 800 yds, the winner of the challenge vase, Dragoon cup, go d cross and £30 was a member of the London Imperial Yeomanry, whoso total score reached 133. Sixth on the- list, with a score of 129. came Colour-Sergeant IV Irvine, of New Zealand, who secured 64 in the first stage and 65 in the second, against the 67 and 60 respectively of the winner, but Colour-Ser-geant Irvine's score secured for him a cadge arid £10. Another member of the New Zealand team, who scored 129 a.sc- in the same competition, was Private U. ,Hawthorne, who made respectively 67 and W. He ton, became the possessor of a badge and £10 Altogether five men nut una total each of 129, two being the New AcaSnderViUßt mentioned. In the same even Private A. Balling?, of New Zealand put up 112—6-5 in the first stag© and 47 m the si r coni: l_and was among those who won £3. With a score of 321 Corporal E. J. band ford, of New Zealand, carried off the nrae of £25 presented by the Corporation of the. CitV of London. He was two better than the Canadian who took second place. ColomSertreant R. M. Irvine, of New Zealand, totalled 316 in the same event, and was thus one of two who won £7 10s. while Sergeant J V Ching with 315 and Private 0. Hawthorne with 313. both of New Zealand, came off with £5 each. In the gram aggregate (SRI Servant E. P. Bandford, of Saw Zealand with a score of 321, came off with aWe cross and £5. while &**»s"*s* KM Irvine with 316. Sergeant J. W. Obin* with 315 and Private G. Hawthorne with 313 each secured a bronze cross and £2. The Ellington Challenge. Oupwas won by clergyman from India, with a totel of 1W got £2. ,