MILITARY AND NAVAL NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15167, 5 December 1912, Page 10

MILITARY AND NAVAL NOTES

BY SENTINEL.

'AWeb being held by the Grammar School for a number of years, the Campbell vase has been won by tho Technical College team. Each member of tho team will be presented with a medal. The medals, which have been designed by Captain JVallingford, bear a grey and green target in enamel, upon a shield surrounded by a laurel wreath. In tho background are two crossed rifles.

The Woikato group rifle meeting, which is to bo held at Cambridge on Saturday, will bo rather original, from the fact of tno introduction of a machine gun competition, _ open to individual members of machine gun sections. Each competitor will be given 10 minutes to load a belt with five rounds, and fire it with any description of fire he pleases. Miniature targets, figures 3, at a range of 30yds, will be used. The greatest advantage of this new scheme, will be that the marksmen, or anyone else, will be able to see the rusult of every shot. Also, as miniature targets are used, competitors will have to handle the gun exactly as at full range. For every 10 seconds under the 10 minutes timelimit, the competitor receives a point, and foT every 10 seconds over that time, ho loses a point.

d The following letter has been sent by Captain J. A. Wallingford, to the officers commanding the various senior cadet companies of the city:—"The musketry of your company is not being carried out-as it should be, though no other . town in New Zealand enjoys the facilities for musketry training that exist .in Auckland. You hare a railway to the range, free tickets for the same, rifles and ammunition can be obtained on the range, and an area eergeant-major is in attendance on Saturdays for the instruction of the senior cadet. Attendance at the range can now be marked up as a parade. Some weeks ago, at the request of a number of senior cadet officers, arrangements were made to keep a stand of arms, with a quantity of ammunition, on the range, for the use of •amor cadet officers of No. 1 group. A musketry camp has been held, and a cadet rifle meeting has taken place, also six Saturdays have come and gone on which the area sergeant-major has been present, yet of some 70 odd officers of the senior cadets in No. 1 group, only two have presented themselves for shooting. This does not look very healthy for the future New Zealand army. The future shooting standard of the New Zealand army is in your hands, and if you do not come out to shoot, how can you expect the boy under t° ul ° do 80 I now want to point out that I shall expect you to carry out your daylight parades on Penrose range. All you have to do is to apply to me for the railway pass, and arrange for the area ser-' geant-major to bo present."

■ .Over 150 territorials will travel South from Auckland to compete at the military tournament to be held at Christchurch on ■ December 26 and 27. The Engineers ?Jr« the Infantry Signalling Company (College Rifles) -Rill be represented in the •signalling and tent-pitching events. Both teams are training assiduously, .and should render a good account of themselves. The No. 1 Field Ambulance Corps will also bo represented in two events. In the ,"7%, Auckland) Regiment the "A" and " it companies' teams will each compete in three events, the "E" company team m two events, and the " G" company team in one event. Several senior cadet teams will also compete at tht> tournament. The majority of competitors will leave for ChrietchuTch on Sunday, December 22. LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN. In the Frontiersman for October appear the names of three ex-New Zealanders in the Legion staffs of the Far East (at Tientsin, China), Brazilian and Transvaal commands. . Frontiersmen in Auckland are already contemplating the erection of a galvanised iron shed, which they could fit up as a general camp and frontiersmen's home, i On the Northern Wairoa River legionaries j are contemplating a camp at Dargaville. I • The Legion tent at ne _Agric^taMiJ purpose very ;sS§sß!Jß3fedy'? 11 The men from the country jfwere given the opportunity of meeting some of the city members, and naturally they had much to talk about. A number of new men filled in their enrolment forms on the spot, and one enthusiast from Coromandel, who regretted that his health precluded his joining, offered to find six good men he knew, and equip them with their uniforms. Members from the King Country, Northern Wairoa, and the Waikato were among the visitors to the tent. BOY SCOUTS. Lieutenant-Colonel Barclay and Lieutenant Robertson will act as umpires at next Saturday's manoeuvres at One-tree Hill. The afternoon's scheme comprises an effort to bring relief to a supposed besieged party on the top of the hill. To prevent this, a line of scouts will be drawn around the base. An attempt will be made by means of signalling, and despatch carrying, to get the necessary reinforcements to dislodge the enemy. The scouts are looking forward to a good afternoon's programme. Chief-Inspector Campbell and Inspector J. G. Rust will have charge of the separate divisions.

The Northcote senior scouts have made a satisfactory start with their cutting and formation of tracks through the bush at Kauri Gully. The junior patrol are making very satisfactory progress with their scout iwork, and hope to be ready for examination early in the new year. The Ponsonby No. 1 troop is about to lose Scoutmaster Lynch, and there will therefore be another vacancy for the organisation to face. Ponsonby No. 1 have held together remarkably well considering their difficulties, and the scouts and their young officers have always shown the true spirit of loyalty towards the movement. Tho troop contains many fine types of boys, and it is to be hoped that a "suitable scoutmaster will be forthcoming very soon. There is every prospect of a first-class troop being started in connection with St. Thomas' 3 Church, Union-street. It will form part of the Diocesan Brigade, which has already proved a success.

Mr. A* W. Potter, as director of ambulance, is paying periodical visits to the various troops in connection with his department oi scout work. Recently ho found the St. Albans boys making very good progress under the guidance of Scoutmaster Williamson.

Scoutmaster Thomas, of the Eden troop, has received an additional nine boys to his already large troop. These were transferred from the Ist Trafalgar troop, and will form part of the Eden mounted patrols.

The Heme Bay Juniors are making a strong feature of their signalling, and Scoutmaster D. Millar is to be congratulated on their all-round smartness. Many of tho youngsters should develop- into really first-class scouts. The senior boys still meet for instruction in wireless, etc.. and find the assistance afforded by ChiefScoutmaster A. G. Stebbing, who has made wireless a hobby, most helpful. The- All Saints' troop held jai anniversary entertainment at St. John's schoolroom, Ponsonby, on Friday evening last. Rev. A. 0. Lawry, who has always taken a keen interest in boy scout work, and 13 a chaplain to the movement, presided. Scout items by the troop provided an interesting programme. Chief-Inspector . Campbell, (scoutmaster, All Saints'), read his annual report, and a number of certificates were handed to the boys. There . '■ was : a good attendance of parents and j / others. •. -■• ft. '•■-'. '■ j ' — JBSSBS *"""——~*^^~^