THE VOLUNTEERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 772, 17 December 1886, Page 12

THE VOLUNTEERS.

ANNUAL INSPECTION.

The annual inspection of city and snburban corps, by Major-General Sir George Whitmore, KIC.M.G., took place on Saturday afternoon on the reclaimed land, near the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Station. The weather was not the best for such a gathering, the wind and the threatening appearance of the sky combining to prevent such a large attendance of the public as would have been present had it been fine. At 3 p.m. the various city corps mustered north of the Government Buildings, and after being inspected by their respective captains proceeded to the place selected for the review. Here they were joined by the Petone Navals, who had arrived from Petone by train. The state of the parade was as follows : Permanent Staff.—Lieut-Colouel Butts, Serseant-Major Hyde, and Sergeant-Major Bell.

Ordnance. —D Battery Artillery, 4 guns, 43 men. Captain M’Credie. Naval Brigade.—Wellington Navals, 56, Captain Duncan. Petone Navals, 58, Captain Fitzherbert.

Rifle Battalion. —Wellington City Rifles, 62, Captain Collins. Wellington Guards, 54, Lieut. Tayton. Wellington Rifles, 51, Lieut. Tail. Newtown Rifles, 47, Captain Cole. Te Aro Rifles, 60, Captain Marshall. Thorn, don Rifles, 41, Captain Maginnity. Kaiwarra Rifles, 24, Captain Cameron. Garrison Band, 26, Bandmaster Cimino. Medical Staff.—Surgeon-Major Cole, Surgeon Collins and Surgeon Gillon. The total on parade, all ranks, was 540, as compared with 420 (exclusive of Heretaunga Light Horse) present at the last annual inspection parade held on the 29 th October, 1885, The Heretaunga Light Horse were excused from attendance on this occasion on account of the harvest. As will be seen from the above the Wellington City Rifles had the honor of having the largest muster on parade, (62 all ranks) the Te Aro Rifles being next with 60. Tho force was divided into two battalions, Captain Commandant Johnson being in command oE No. 1. (Naval Battalion). Major Loveday No. 2. (Rifle Battalion), and Colonel Butts being in command of the 'whole. The other mounted officers present were Major Shannon and Adjutant Quick. Punctually at 4 o’clock Sir George Whitmore, accompanied by Colonel Bailey, President of the Council of Military Education, and Captain Coleman of the Permanent Militia, arrived on the ground and were received with the customary salute, the whole force being drawn up in line at open order. The reviewing officer then proceeded to inspect the parade, riding along the front of the line from right to left, looking closely at each corps as he passed, and returning by the rear and taking up his position at the saluting point. Column was then formed and the march past took place, the marching of the Artillery being specially good, while that of the Navals and Rifles was fairly done, the, roughness of the ground being against good marching. The Te Aro Rifles as a recruit corps deserves special praise for its performances, The march past in quarter-column was exceedingly well done, the Wellington Navals, City Rifles, and Guards being much admired for their steadiness. The battalion then doubled past, wheeled to the left, and formed line to the left on the rear company. The manual and firing exercise was satisfactorily performed, after which the men were extended for bayonet exercise, some of the companies doing it very indifferently, while others did it exceedingly well, notably the Wellington Navals, Wellington City Rifles, and Te Aro Rifles. Sufficient attention had not apparently been given by the other corps to this drill. This concluded the inspection portion of the parade, and quarter-column was formed preparatory to deploying for the attack in the new formation, which wa3 fairly done, considering that the battalion have had only two opportunities to practice it. A four-deep square was then formed, and Major-General"Whitmore addressed the men. He said that since he was here last year the Wellington Volunteers had worked very hard, he knew, and had made a very considerable improvement. He could not say much in their favor last year, but he might say now that in no district had there been greater improvement made than in Wellington. As to the older companies, he could only tell them that they would have to look sharp or they would have the young ones catching up and passing them before long, The men deserved encouragement so far as he could reasonably give it to them, and one thing they deserved was that they should be uniform. Some corps, for instance, had brown belts at present. He would take care to remedy that before the next review or camp. In the rough ground they had a great deal against them that day in the march past, but nevertheless it was exceedingly creditably done. He did nob wish to mention any particular companies, but he would say that some companies had marched exceedingly well. He hoped they would re* member what he said last year, and what he had said throughoutthe country, that to be efficient soldiers it was not enough to have a few individual first-class shots in a company ; they must all attain an average efficiency. He" trusted that their averages this year would show that they had borne in mind what he said. He knew that they had only recently begun the four-deep formation they had gone through that afternoon, but, bearing that in mind, he thought it had been very fairly done indeed. He did not say anything particular about the Navals and Artillery, because he told them last year that if they retained their standard of efficiency, that was as much as could be expected of them. He might say, however, that he had seen batteries of Artillery march past the Queen no better than the Artillery had done that day, and he did not think they could be much improved upon. He hoped the Navals would make themselves useful for the defence of this port if it should be required, by learning the submarine and torpedo work, and he should be glad if they could be relieved from the garrison artillery work they were now doing in order that they might devote more attention to it. There were a great many of the Volunteers, he was glad to see, young men. It was intended in future that the permanent forces should be entirely recruited from the Volunteers, any who had served three years, and were under

25 years of age, being eligible. There bad not been many applications in Wellington so far, and he was not quite sure that the system was understood. On application to Colonel Butts, however, the necessary information could be obtained. Referring to the battalion, he said it was one of the best—certainly aboye the average in New Zealand. If they would only practise, together between that and the next inspection he thought he i would be able to say it was as good as any. There was a large encampment to be hel i at New Plymouth next year, at which probably a thousand men would be present. He should be disappointed if their battalion did not do credit to itself there—if the Wellineton Volunteers were not largely represented. He had no more to say, except to thank them for their attendance. This was very creditable indeed, except in the case of one corps, for one or two corps were there almost to a man. Sir George remarked, in conclusion, that the real object of these inspections was to ascertain the number of men the Government could really rely on at short notice. After this the force returned to town, headed by the Garrison Band, and halted south of the Government Buildings, where they were dismissed to their private parades. Our Volunteers may be congratulated on the excellent display they made on Saturday; but one feature, which detracted much from the appearauce of the Rifle Battalion on parade was the want of uniformity in dress, and it is to be hoped that steps will be taken at once to assimilate the dres3 of all corps in accordance with the regulatione. Owing to the indisposition of LieutenantColonel McDonnell, the intended presentation of the New Zealand Cross was postponed.

The eleventh competition For a telescope presented to the City Rifles took place at the cadet range yesterday week. Conditions —300yds, 14 shots. Private Cato wins the competition with 4S points, Private Valentine, a second-class shot, coming next with 47, The following are the scores : Private Cato, 4S ; Private Valentine, 47 ; Corporal Jackson, 46 ; Private Guise, 45 ; Sergeant Burton, 40 Private F. Moore, 40; Corporal Hansen, 37 ; Private Harper, 35 ; Private Luke, 34; Private A. Palmer, 32 ; Color-Sergeant Davis, 31. Ahuriri, the site selected for the New Zealand Rifle Association Meeting is considered very suitable, as a 1000yds range can be obtained. Captain Somerville, who has the working of the meeting in hand, does not expect that the Martini-Entields. will arrive in time for the meeting. New ammunition is to be used in the contest, made by a private English maker, as the Imperial Government are not making any Snider ammunition j ust no w. We learn that Captain McCredie and Captain Collins, members of the Executive of the New Zealand Rifle Association in Wellington, have notified to Captain Somerville that they are of opinion that teams from Rifle Clubs should not be permitted to compete at the coming meeting in the teams matches, as being opposed to the objects for which the Association was formed, the fostering of the Voluuteer movement.

TheTe Aro Rifles paraded for drill at Mount Cook last Friday evening. The attendance was very good, and the corps was exercised by Captain Marshall, in 'company. The company is now sufficiently ■ forward to be handed over to the District Drill Instructor for final instruction in the manual and firing exercises.

The Newtown Rifles will fire a match at Grey town tomorrow, when there will be four companies firing, viz : —Masterton, Greytown, Featherston, and Newtown. The match is to fired on the Greytown range. The Newtown Rifles will be represented by the following team :—Corporals Connor and Hutchens, Privates Ballinger, E. France, A. France, Oakley, Embury, Wilson, Russell, and Jones.