VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14302, 23 February 1910, Page 10

VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE JOTTINGS.

BT SENTIXEIi.

Tue' resignation of Hon. Chaplain Rev. ' Thos.'- McWilliam, of V Rodney; Mounted Rifles, ha« been accepted, according to general orders. :: •': Hon. Captain F. E. Bautrie, M.P., of.No. 3 Company New Zealand Native Rifles, ha's been granted' leave of absence, with permission to bo absent from (he- Dominion • during the period. —. ' Major R. R. Morrow, of the Royal Veterans' Association, Auckland, and formerly hon. major.-of the 46th Regiment, Las been placed on the retired list New Zealand defence forces, with the rank, of;lion, colonel. The resignation of Lieutenant S. Lewis, No. .3 Squadron Waikato Mounted Rifles, has been accepted, and bis appointment as adjutant "to the- Second Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles, with rauk of lieutenant, approved in Gazette. The officer commanding the district has been pleased to approve of the following acting-appointments: —Harry Grant Mills, to be acting-lie to the Waihi Defence Rifle Cadet Volunteers from December 22, 1909; Robert Blackwood Steele, to be act-ins-lieutenant to the' Waihi Defence Rifle Cadet Volunteers from December 22, 1909. The officer commanding the No. 3 Company Garrison Artillery has approved of the following promotions: — Corporal Golden, to be sergeant ; Corporal Brothers, to bo acting-sergeant: Bombardier "H. c Gavan, to be acting-corporal; : Bombardier A. C. Long.' to be acting-corporal. The promotions are to date from February 7, 1910. ' ' ;'"v- , '■•■ -*:■ ■ ' There was a good attendance of.N.C.O.'s. and men of the No. 5 Company G.A.V. on Friday night at Fort Takapuna, for the purpose of fort manning, when : some good work was done. . This : evening . a meeting of the> company will take* place for the pur-: pose of electing a captain. ■ All N.C.O.'s and men are; asked to make a special effort $0 be present. ' : The attention of all officers commanding corps and defence cadets is drawn to general orders 171, 172, and 201, 1909. in reference to Government prize "medal competitions for the year ending the 28th inst. 1 , and they are requested to arrange that all original scores are sent to the Defence Office immediately, as -■ required by ;. the general orders quoted, to be submitted to headquarters as soon after the 28lh inst. ,as possible, lor the results to be published.

.A district order, issued by LieutenantColonel G. C. B. Wolfe, commanding the Auckland district, states that the sum of ■ ; £55 18(i 8d having been granted,by the Government to encourage rifle shooting in this = • district, the amount will be'.'. distributed as nr ;l follows:Adults: First-class, 50 per. cent., £19 •17s; second-class, ■30 ;per ,cent. ,'■!-; £ 11 ..: : 18s: recruits. 20 cent., £7 19s: total. £39 14s Finst-cl&s* . Nine prizes, at 15s each, £6 15s: four prizes, at 8s each, £1 : I. 12s; 18 prizes, at 7s 6d each, £6 15s; 19 prizes, at 5s each. £4 15s: '*l total. £19 175. ; :, ; Second-class f4O prizes, at 4s each, £8: 20 .< '.prizes,: at each. £3; nine prizes, at 2s :■:' each, 18s: total. £11 18*. Recruits: Four prizes, at 10s each, £2;, 10 prizes?, at 5s each, £2 10s: 15 prizes, at 3s each, £2 53; %, 12 "prizes, at 2s each, £1 4s: total. £7 19s. |5 Cadets: ■ Firetrclaiis, ! £8; second-class/ £4 17s: recruits, ; £ 37s 8d: total, £16 4s Bd. / First-class: One prize, at :10s, 10s; four prizes, at 7s 6d. £1 10s; 24 prizes, at 5s • each; £6:" * total.. £8. ;Second-class 10 prizes, at 4s each, £2; 11 prizes, at 3s ■'■•. each, £l''i3s';'-,12 prizes, "at 2s each, £1 4s: i.-:''\total, £4 17s. Recruits: One prize, at 7s ' Bd,'7sßd;; 10 prizes, at 4s each, £2; 10 : prizes, at 2s each, £1 : total, £3 7s Bd. ;.. The Pukekohe Mounted Rifles held ;;their •; annual competition■ for the cups presented . by ex-Lieutenant H. L.-Nathan for; individual mounted scouts/ and by Mr. J. J. Graham, for " fours" of mounted scouts, also for a medal presented by ex-Lieutenant W. B. Bayley, for the best recruit in*the individual ■, competition. Captain - E. Croker ■ .(Rodney; V Mounted V Rifles) ••> acted :■; as chief indue, and was ably assisted by ■ Captain ; McFenzie (Franklin "Mounted Rifles). SiaffiJ Sergeant-Major Bell, and Regimental-Ser-geant-Major . > Jameson. Surgeon-Captain i •■■ Bronte was the medical officer present.', There was keen competition, and the of-! ficers of the squadron, Captain Wyman "and I Lieutenants Schotield, . Johns, , and Wilkin- j son, ; deserve .great credit i for „ the complete arrangements, which enabled the three com-1 '..".'. petitions to be completed the one aftern noon. The Nathan cup was won by Sergeant Clark, with 108 points, who also.was I " the successful competitor last year. The i ; Graham cup was deservedly ", won by Cor- ! ' poral Bilkeys "four," consisting of Pri- : vates Fausett, E. J. Bilkey, and A. * E. j Johns. 'i The. Bayley medal was won by Pri- ' vate Chiplin, with 187 points,j Privates G. '?■::■■'■:■ Harvard:and .W." J. Hazell tieing for second place, with 78 points each. ( A special:regimental order has been issued by Lieutenant-Colonel Allen Bell, com- j manding the Second Regiment Auckland j '■-.;': Mounted ; Rifles, as: follows:"As the time , is now drawing near for the disbandment of j '-'.'. the- present 1 , volunteer forces, and the; in- j >:-■:'. auguration of a new system: of defence : in & f ] this : Dominion, J: the -.\ officer '■' commanding j wishes to place on record his appreciation i ...' of the loyal .-' support which :• he 'has received i .« irgm all ranks ; in the work of building up j ■■'"■.■ the regiment, and ;. in (this connection would • - specially mentionjthe splendid ) services renS. dered by the staff instructor, Sergeant-Major ;■■ Coleman. He is : fully sensible that with- ; [ . out that ",.; co-operation -:and c : assistance, the regiment could riot have been raised to its present status, and trusts that every mem- •:.-.■■; ber ■of the regiment who -' can possibly •do so will j attend the r inspection by Field-Mar-shal Lord Kitchener, | probably the last . ■•' parade oft he regiment under the;, old '■ system, and i that while there they will individually take upon themselves the responeibility of upholding the honour and dignity ' - of the regiment. In conclusion, :he would •'■;.'';; again like to acknowledge with grateful .'; thanks the part played; in the past by the officers, non-commissioned officers and men, and would venture to hope that the large majority of them may enter the new territorial forces/ and that while there they will pet a- high example in soldierlv bearing and efficiency, and continue to strive for one..of . the finest objects that any, honourable man can hope to work for—the supremacy and integritv of our Empire. He .trusts that, in , the days to come all will look back with pleasant recollections on the time when they served with the, Second: Regiment Auckland 'Mounted" Rifles, arid that in their civilian capacity they will meet with all possible , success.—(Signed) • S. Lkwts, Acting-Cap-tain and- Adjutant Second Regiment Auck- ; land :Mounted-' Rifles." , ' ;-.;>.*

SOMETHING NEW FOR BOY SCOUTS. Since the- vogue of the,boy scout there have invented many little contrivances ; calculated to be of use to the young " track- ::.. er." Amongst the latest of these is a long, .-stout cord, made up in coils to form a belt, ; .• the uses of which .are as varied as they are numerous. The belt will carry a rolledup coat, knife, whistle, or anything of that nature, without interfering with its use in other directions. .; It is used : as a lifeline— corks being .attached so that it will float on water—and with two scout poles, will form a very serviceable stretcher,'-'and two belts • twisted together will ; form ; . a • strong climbing rope. With four of the indispensable poles it will form, the framework . of,, a tent,, the belt being .used as a main guy._ For tying up a' boat or for use as a guiding line ' at ,;■ night the contrivance -is i "just the ' thing," and it is- even suggested that if a .member of this übiquitous order >> should ever by chance ■come across a. policeman who, through having lost or forgotten his handcuffs, Was finding difficulty in ar- -■ resting a prisoner, the scout would* be able ' at once to'render assistance by tying up the miscreant" with^his.'ev^£ready7halyard.' :"'.; The "other usesof such' an appliance are : too .obvious to mention. . The inventor 'is Mr. j Maurice Smith, of 16, Vicar-street, Kidder- ■ minster. ! j ■ ""■■ -"'.■•• .- ■ " ~ ™ y r..■-.-.'..■'..■ '. ,