DEFENCE NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18584, 17 December 1923, Page 6

DEFENCE NOTES.

By Ramrod. 'A' week's instructional camp commences to-day at Narrow Neck. Ten officers and over 190 N.0.0.'u ore on the rolls for 'training, and the keen team of staff instrucors promises a week of really sound useful work. This is an entirely voluntary camp, and there were more trainees who wished to attend than could be accommodated. Only limited leave will be allowed from camp, and the E. and IT. Piano Agency have kindly lent a piano for the use of the boys in the Y.M.C.A, hut that has been set aside for recreational purposes. During the evenings motion picture entertainments will be shown by Mr. Patterson, of th© Y_M.C.A., and parents can rest assured that their sons will be well looked after in every direction. Major W. 0. Finnis is camp commandant, Lieut. R. S. Judson, V.C., adjutant, SergeantMajor T. P. Laffeyt, camp sergeant-major, and Sergeant-Major? Green, camp quartermaster«.

The Northern Command is fortunate in having such a fine sate as Narrow Neck for concentrated training. Besides being a fine, healthy one,, the camp has the additional advantage of being beside an excellent beach. /

The First Battery, N.Z.A., held a concert recently in the Parish Hall, Devonport. The programme, headed by the Violet Dandies, was excellent. Major F. C. Soar (battery 0»C.), states that the concert was organised to obtain funds for the provision of more horses for the use of the battery, -while undergoing training at Ngaruawahia :in ' February next. It is hoped to obtain nt least six extra horses as the result of the concert.

It is rumoured that the 4th Howitzer Battery is taking at least 40 or 50 horse# to camp in February, and is out to make a reputation second to none in the N.Z.A,

The 2nd »nd 3rd N.Z.A. Batteries have not yet announced their activities for their February camp.

General Johnson, C.M.G., D.5.0., R.A., commanding the territorial division of artillery in Glasgow, has sent Christmas greetings to the gunners of the Northern Command.

Some people are inclined to doubt the necessity of keeping Trentham as a training ground, but favour command training grounds. The object of the training is. to obtain not only the latest methods, but also to enable the officers to adopt a universal system, so that should the force be brought together as a whole there would be perfect uniformity in method and organisation. This can only be achieved through a central training ground,' at which officers and instructors can be trained under the same instructors.