MILITARY TOURNAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15496, 1 January 1914, Page 5

MILITARY TOURNAMENT.

SPECTACULAR EVENT. AEROPLANE ON VIEW. INTERESTING COMPETITIONS, Each year for the last eight years there has been a naval and military tournament 1 and assault-at-arms held in one of the big centres In the Dominion. The ninth such tournament takes place in Auckland this year on the A. and P. Show grounds in Alexandra Park. The tournament extends over two full days Saturday and Monday next. The object of the tournament is to encourage and develop skill at arms in all ranks of the New Zealand military forces, and the various competitions are open to all bona fide members of the Royal Navy, Dominion and Commonwealth defence forces. From the point of view of military efficiency it is difficult to over-esti-mate the advantages to be obtained by troops taking part in such a tournament. The healthy spirit of rivalry produced by competition induces a keenness and esprit-de-corps which cannot fail to raise the efficiency of the forces. As far as possible all branches of the forces have been catered for, a special feature being the encouragement to senior cadets. Fifty-one distinct competitions have been arranged, and prize money to the amount of £350 has been provided. Owing to the large number of entries received for the various evente it will be necessary to start each day's programme at 8 a,m., and the judges, officials, and competitors should be on the grounds at least a quarter of an hour earlier. Competitors will be warned in sufficient time to take part in the first competition for which they have entered. They should then consult the daily programme and the notice board, so as to be informed of any alterations issued by the committee. Competitors mast parade to answer their names 15 minutes before the time advertised for each event and 30 minutes in cases where equipment and turnout have to be taken into consideration. As Attractive Programme. There is a great variety in the nature of the events : Many are a Ust of military efficiency, others are spectacular, whilst a few may be deemed to be humorous— especially from the onlookers' point of view. The public will find more than enough to keep them interested during the whole of the two days of the tournament. Something will be going, on all the time, and there will be no waiting. The first day's - programme will open with the route march for senior cadets, the distance to be covered by the teams beinp about three miles. During the day there will be signalling competitions, both morse and semaphore codes tent-pegging; bugle blowing; tug-of-war; physical and rifle exercises; bayonet fighting; and artillery competitions.

Amongst the items on the second day's programme are tilting at .the ring, jump. rag,, squad drill, artillery driving, ambulance competitions, wrestling on horseback, and the obstacle races.

•The number of entries totals 1366, representing 5740 individuals— of the entries being teams. A large number of these entries are duplications, many competitors having entered.for more than one 'competition. The actual number of senior cadets and territorials taking part in the i tournament will be about 2000. A satisfactory' feature of the tournament is the keen interest -showa by the senior cadets from all parts of the Dominion. In many cases their entries exceed those of the territorials in similar events. ' It is hoped that the territorials of the Auckland military district will acquit themselves with distinction and keep in then- hands the challenge cup which is awarded to that military district which obtains the greatest number of marks in certain ot the more military and exacting of the competitions. All the officials concerned in the tournament will meet on the grounds on Friday evening at 8 p.m. with a view to making all the necessary final arrangements. Special steamers and trains, reduced fares and passes, and other concessions have been allowed to competitors, who will be arriving in hundreds from all parts of the Dominion. Tents pitched, and straw will be found on the ground free of charge for those desiring the same for the nights of January 2, 3, 4, and 5, and meals will be obtainable at the lowest possible rates. The Dominion Aeroplane. The feature of the tournament will be the presence of the Dominion's own aeroplane, Britannia. This Bleriot monoplane will be in charge of Mr. W. W. Hammond, the well-known aviator, and it will be on view on the tournament grounds on both Saturday and Monday. It is to be hoped that the aviator will be granted permission to make some exhibition flights, but this has not as yet been definitely decided upon. Whether the machine is actually flown or not, its very presence should act as a magnet to draw crowds to see a standard flying machine, which has been thoroughly tested and proved to be capable of doing all that is claimed for it. Display at Exhibition. Elaborate ■ preparations have been made for the military display at the Exhibition next_ Saturday evening, and a splendid evening's entertainment should ensue. Nothing on such a large scale has been attempted here before, but the presence of some thousands of competitors at the tournament, which is to be opened at the Show Grounds during the day, has given the committee a chance to do something quite out of the ordinary. The Royal Artillery Band will be in attendance and will supply the music for the combined displays in addition to their ordinary programme. Six hundred senior cadets frcm all parts of the Dominion will give a combined display of physical drill; 400 territorials, also from dl over the Dominion, will give a combined display of rifle exercises, and a large squad of permanent staff sergeant-majors will give a display of lance and sword exercises. Amongst the competitions to be finished in the evening are the erection of field observatories, an alarm race, a relay race for territorials in full uniform (for which 70 entries have been received), the finals of the cadet and territorial tugs-of-war, and a tug-of-war between four teams from H.M.S. Philomel.

A realistic attack on a defended position will be carried out by some thousand men, automatic alarms, brilliant flares, and other features being introduced. The display will conclude with a fine display of fireworks.

SOUTHERN COMPETITORS. MANY TO ARRIVE TO-DAY. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN COBBESBONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. A special train left Wellington just before one o'clock to-day taking a large number of territorials and senior cadets, who will compete in the military tournament being held at Auckland. Wellington will be well represented in the senior cadets' division by the Technical School (three teams), Boys' Institute (two teams), No. 31 Company (two teams), St, Anne's (two teams), Wellington College (three teams) and others. The Mokoi.-i, which arrived from the South this morning, brought over four hundred territorial? and cadets. The Union Steam Ship Company has granted a reduction of 20 per cent, in the fares, stipulating that the men must bring their own dishes and blankets, a stipulation willingly complied with. The mail train for Auckland to-night took another large batch of competitors;.