VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13369, 26 December 1906, Page 4

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

BY SKNTIN M.. The following are the range* and officers appointed for duty at the Penrose range for January, 1907:—.Xanuarr 5, sGo.yds and 600 yds, Captain Hazard; January 12, 200 yds and 500 yds. Lieut. Slwrson; January 19. 200 yds and 600 yds, Captain Dawson; and January 26, 500 yds and 700yda, Lieut. Pullcn.

The military tournament at' Christ church commences this morning, ami will extend over two days. Entries have been received from all parts of the colony, and also from Australia, and judging from reports the tournament should be the biggest of its kind ever held in the colony. The only team representing Auckland province is that from No. 1 Company, Harrison Artillery.

The members of the Franklin Mounted Rifles fired the third and final match on Saturday for a medal presented by Mr. Walsh. The ranges for the three matches were as follows: — First day, 200 yds, 50Dyds t and 600 yds; second day, 300 yds, 600vds, anil 600 yds: third day, 500 yds. 600 yds, and 700vds. Seven shots and one sighter were allowed at each range. The medal was won by Lieut. White, with a total of 261 points, Private H. G. Kimpton coming next with 246.

The Franklin Mounted Rifles are the latest converts to the mounted scouts competition, and are making arrangements to give the compctitiin a trial in March next. Mr. W. Abbott has kindly promised to donate three prizes for the occasion. Messrs. McKnigbt and McKenzie, and Other honorary members of the squadron are interesting themselves in the matter, and a proposal, 1 understand, is afoot to present a challenge tup to the corps on behalf of the district and make the mounted scouts competition an annual one.

The thirty-third annual meeting of the Auckland Rifle Association, which takeplace at. the Penrose range on January 1 and 2. promises to be most successful. A largo number of entries have been received for the various events, and it is more than likely when those of the latecomers are handed m that the number of entries will constitute a record. One hundred and fiftvfive pounds are being offered in prize money —an increase of £12 on last year. Kverv provision is being made by the association tor the comfort of competitors at the range.

The National Rifle Association of Knglund will send a team ft) Australia in October i' funds are forthcoming. li is suggested that a match be for teams of eight men a-side, with the same qualifications as those governing the content for the Kolapore Cup— 200, SUU, 600, 80'J, 900, and 1000 yards, two sighters at each distance. " Marksman," in the Sydney Mail, referring to the matter, states that with the prospect of a visit from a British team the Commonwealth Council of Rifle Associations, which meets in Tasmania shortly, will probably open negotiations for similar visits by Canadian and New Zealand teams.

Colonel Davies, C.8., Inspector-General of the Colonial Forces, and until recently officer commanding the Auckland district, will take up his residence in Wellington shortly. His loss to Auckland is a severe one, which will be felt for some time to come. There is, however, one advantage to Auckland in Colonel Davies' promotion, and that is that we shall have a man at the head of affairs who understands our requirements. It is reported on excellent authority that Colonel Wolfe, officer in charge of the Nelson district, has accepted the command of Auckland district, and will arrive here shortly to take up his new duties.

The l'ukckohc Mounted Rifles, under Captain R. R. Martin and Lieutenants Glasson and Nathan, paraded fo. inspection by Lieut.-Colonel Holgate, officer-com-manding First Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles, on Saturday afternoon. There was an excellent muster, and th« members of the corps acquitted themselves most creditably. After the parade the election of another lieutenant, was held, and resulted in the appointment of Mr. R. Wynian, by a unanimous vote. Mr. Wyman formerly held an acting appointment in the squadron. . To ■encourage uniformity in accoutrements, Lieut. Nathan has kindly presented head-ropes to each of the members of the corps. fc

In the interest of the State, volunteers and cadets should take a deal more care in cleaning their rifles than is usually the case. When visiting the Defence Department's stores a New Zealand Times reporter was shown a stack of about four thousand rifle barrels that had been condemned, as useless or dangerous, mostly for the simple reason that they had not been attended to. "I don't, suppose," said .Mr. .). (V,Sullivan, the Defence storekeeper, "that there are more than a few dozen condemned for being worn out—the rest have been discovered to be too rusty for any other purpose than old iron. This," said Mr. O'Sullivan, "in spite of the fact that we supply them with oil and 'pull-throughs.'"

The Franklin Mounted Rifles paraded at Clevedon 011 Saturday evening for the purpose of electing a lieutenant and several non-commissioned officers. The election for the lieutenancy resulted in the promotion of Sergeant White to the position—an honour which was well deserved. Lieut. White is one of the most popular officers of tho squadron, and takes a keen interest in volunteering, besides being a good shot. He also holds a lieutenant's certificate, having passed his examination when a sergeant. The other elections resulted in Corporal Watts being promoted to the rank of sergeant, and Privates Broomfield, J. Dow, and Fitzvvilliams, and Bugler Jameson to the rank of corporals.

Preparation of tho training ship Amokura for the reception of boys is proceeding apace, and other necessary preliminaries to the bringing into effect of the scheme are also being carried out. That the bovs will be well provided for (says the Wellington Post) is shown by the "kit," with which each one is to be furnished. It, will consist of a hammock, clothes bag, sorgo jumper, two serge frocks, two pairs of serge trousers, two pair.-, of khaki trousers, two khaki jumpers, two night, shirts, two flannel vests, two caps, a woollen comforter, knife ami lanyard, jersey, two day shirts, two collars, black .silk handkerchief, two pairs of socks, two pairs of drawers, clothes brush, boot: brushes, hair brushes, comb, two towels, two pocket handkerchiefs, two pairs of blankets, needle case, etc., canvas hold-all, and a mattress.

The team which is to represent No. 1 Company, Garrison Artillery Volunteers, at the military tournament at. Christchurch, left, for the South by the Takapuna on Friday last, and were due to arrive at Christchurch on Sunday morning. Captain Knyvett is in charge of the team, which is made up of tiio following:— Sergeant- Hill, Bombardiers Willstead and Thompson, Gunners Read, Wilson (2), W. Whorbovs, Bregdon, and Hartman, and Bugler Ballantyne. Bombardier Gallagher also accompanies the team as instructor. Among the events entered for are the six-pounder q.f., mounting and dismounting, and firing competitions. .Judging from the displays which have been given in Auckland the men should acquit themselves with credit. Bugler Ballantyne lias entered for the bugle competition, and it is also understood that Captain Knyvett will take part in the singlesticks competition and the mounted events for officers. The team will return to Auckland on Sunday next.

The fact, that the proposal to send the public school cadets to Christchurch during the Christmas season has not been tat up in the Auckland district appears to have caused a good deal of heart-burning among the little fellows. An Onehunga cadet, in his indignation, writes as follows:—"I would like to ask those persons who objected to the camp their reasons, and also why the Auckland cadets are not allowed to go, when places like Wanganui and other centres can send their cadets, and also persons to look after them. To show you what our parents thought of tho proposal, I will instance the case of the crack corp of the North, the Onehunga cadets. Out of a tola! of 60 strong about 50 paid 10s each to go, and cadets looked forward with gleo to the trip. Then without anv warning we were given bac-k our 10s and told we were not going. Now sir," says the cadet, "is this the way to treat a body of boys who devote a lot of their spare time to become efficient, and when then teacher had promised to take them down? It is a sad disappointment to us, and will do the cadet movement harm, as we consider we have as much right to the trip a.s the other places. Of course, any parents objecting hud the right to keep their boys at homo; but it would have been a great object lesson to us, and we would have learnt more in drill and knowledge than months ol schooling would have taught us." The sympathy of volunteers will go out to the cadets in their disappointment.