VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12928, 26 July 1905, Page 7

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

[bx sentinel.l

A full-dress parade of the No. 3 Native Rifles is called for this (Wednesday) evening.

The annual social of the No. 8 Garrison Artillery Volunteers will be held at an early date.

Recruits for the Gordon Rifles have been coming forward steadily lately, six men having joined during the last two weeks.

The Gordon and No. 3 Native Rifle Companies fire a teams' match (10 men a-side) at Penrose on Saturday next. The ranges will be 200 yds and 600 yds.

Majoi Johnson, artillery staff officer, of Wellington, will lecture to the members of the Auckland Garrison Officers' Club this evening on military matters.

The Auckland garrison officers' annual ball, to be held in the Drill Hall on Wednesday, August 9, promises to be a huge success. The tickets are going off very freely.

The No. 8 Company Garrison Artillery volunteers had a good muster at last Saturday's competitive practice at Fort Cautlev, and made some good shooting with the big guns.

I have to thank tho Social Committee for an invitation to attend the "A" Battery Artillery Volunteers annual ball, to be held in the company's gunroom, Drill Hall, on Friday, August 18.

Tickets for the non-commissioned officers' ball, which takes place on Friday, August 11, have been issued, and as a large number have already been distributed it is clear that the function is going to bo well attended.

Although it is now about five months since tho infantry battalion cup was fired for, I hear that the markers have not yet been paid for their services. Surely this matter should have been attended to before this.

It is more than likely that Mr. H. R. Bloornfield will accept the captaincy of the No. 3 Native Rifles, which vacancy has been created by the promotion of Captain Reed to the rank of acting-major, with command of the First Battalion Auckland Infantry.

The Gordon Rifles' team for tlio match against the No. 3 Natives on Saturday will bo as under: Captain Kay, Lieutenant mining, Colour-Sergeant Cairn, Sergeants Martin, Woods, and Parker, Corporals Matthews, Gallagher, and Vowlcs, and Volunteer Davis.

Colonel Davies, officer commanding the Auckland volunteer district, inspected the "A" Battery Volunteers on Thursday evening last. After the inspection the colonel, who was accompanied by Major Johnson, of Wellington, presented Corporal Greenhough, of the corps, with his 16 years' service medal.

The First Battalion and Auckland Garrison Bands continue to practice regularly, and are making steady improvement in the quality of the music provided. _ Both bands intend, I believe, to compete in the forthcoming contest at Hawera, and should faro oven better than at the Auckland contest, when they performed most creditably.

The No. 2 Native Rifles appear to be going on very satisfactorily at present. _ Speaking at the company's annual meeting last week, Captain Bartlett expressed his pride in the company in very enthusiastic terms, and stated that since he had taken over the command of the corps he has never had a better quality of men than just now.

On Saturday afternoon next the members of the No. 3 Native Rifles Corps will fire for the company's champion belt at the Penrose range. The scores will also count for a handicap match, in which the scores of Lieutenants Mcintosh and Kretschmar and ColourSergeant Wil lough by (who presents a vernier as the prize), who are firing for the championship, will not count, they having decided to stand l out.

A pleasing little ceremony took place after tho parade of the Gordon Rifles last week, when Colour-Sergeant Cairn, on behalf of the non-coms, and men, presented Lieutenant Gumming with a set of afternoon teaspoons, jam and sugar spoon, etc., as, a mark of esteem on the occasion of his 'marriage. Mr. Cumming feelingly responded. He was also tho recipient of handsomo presents from his two brother officers.

A Home contemporary lias received an interesting letter from a service friend who is travelling in Germany, with respect to what lie terms "the finest gun that has yet been invented." _ As ho is a gunner of many years' service, lie should' know what he is talking about. The weapon to which he refers is a now pattern ICrupp, with which extensive trials have just been conducted. The bore is 8 centimetre, and both in rapidity of fire and accuracy of aim it is said to be very effective. For its size the gun is remarkably light, and it is a good deal in advance of the weapon with which the authorities are now re-arming tho British field artillery. i

Speaking at the Hotel Motropole, London, recently, Sir Frederick Treves said:—"Nothing in Japan astonished me more than the manner in which tho native practitioners have absorbed into their own science tho medicine and surgery of this side of the world. Take only one branchmedical equipment in time of war. Many problems which have been the terrors of European armies the Japanese have solved. European armies enter upon a war with many determinations; one is to have 10 per cent, of sick. They get it. The Japanese are quite content with 1 per cent, of sick, and they have achieved their ambition. I hope we on this side of the world may be able to imitate it."

Touching on the defeat of tho Now Zealand team in the Kolapore Cup contest at Bisley, the Southern writer "Trigger" says: —The details show that, had this colony been represented by ils best team, last year's victory would probably have been repeated. The loss sustained through Sergeant J. W. Clang's absence has unquestionably decided tho issue. Ching, under certain conditions, would have been with the and the benefit which would have been derived from his wonderful coaching abilities, apart from his excellence as a marksman over the_ Ivolapore Cup ranges, was worth many points to the team which fired recently.; Citing was top-scorer for Now Zealand in last year's contest, and there can be 110 question that in Inst. week's event he would have been equal to making anything from 86 to 100. While praise must be given to those who represented us for their good performance in running the winners so close, it is quite patent to experts that the cup has been thrown away foi the want of Ching's services.

The naval officer nowadays lias so much to learn that it is imperative his time should be employed to the best advantage. A recognition of this fact at Whitehall has (According to the Pali Mall ' Gazette) led to the framing of new regulations for tho training of midshipmen. Under these every chance will bo afforded the middy of equipping himself for issuing with credit from his seamanship examinations. The haphazard method is to go, and individual training adopted in place of it. In each ship that carries midshipmen a lieutenant is to be told off to act as a kind of director of their studies. This position will be 0110 of responsibility, for if the lads do; badly at the examination the lieutenant in charge of them will be called to book. _ On the other hand, if they do well the circumstance is to be noted in his favour. This may mean a great deal, for there are sundry desirable billets at Osborne and Dartmouth which the officer who has shown capacity for dealing with boys may reasonably look forward to. Under the new regulations young officers must have a knowledge of engine-room work before they will be allowed to sit .for examination in seamanship. I'oi this purpose an engineer officer is to bo told off to ascertain their competency in this important branch of sea lore, and they must satisfy him before they can try for their certificate. In order that they may not press unfairly upon anyone, the new regulations are not to be enforced for another twelve months. After this period, too, the pilotage classes for acting sub-lieutenants will bo moved from Greenwich to the Navigation School at Portsmouth.