OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10721, 9 February 1897, Page 3

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

The Kugineers held an afternoon parade on Saturday, the company mustering in the : vicinity of Lagan's Point at 3 o'clock. This place was selected for the drill as, in addition to affording good ground for the signalling and : mining work, the close proximity of tho water gave an excellent opportunity to tho bridging squad of the corps for pontoon raft building. A good-sized raft was constructed in quick tirno, aud was afterwards manned by a orotv, and its buoyancy tested by a fairly heavy load of mon. The signalling work was carried out under tho supervision of Sergeant Wall, of the Torpedo Corps; a Morse wire was run out for a. onii • siderable distance, and flag signal stations «■••• then established, telegraphic messiguo i. transmitted from one end of tho c<m> circuit to the other. A mine, charged with cotton, was afterwards laid, and the woict testing thoroughly explained to the squau. First-aid drill was also gone through by tv« members of the ambulance squad. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, February 8. Station practice was held on Saturday afternoon at Fort Cautley, when the Auckland and Ponsonby Naval Artillery Volunteer Companies, combined with the Permanent Artillery, occupied the batteries as if in action and engaged in gunnery practice at a moving target, which was towed in range out in the channel by the Government launch, representing the length of a vessel of 200 ft, with flags at e.ither end. The range was from 3500 up to 4800 yards. The j practice was very good, nearly all the shots being on the target. The Diugadee, outward bound, was steaming down the channel, when the target tow-line got entangled round her screw ; but a boat went off from the shore and cut the line, and the Dingadee was enabled to go on her course again. The practice lasted for four hours— tht 7in muzzle-loader, Bin breech-loader, the 64-pouuder, and NordenMdt ' being all in action. The telephone communication to the different gunpits isuot yet in proper going order again, and accordingly men were detailed off to pass the words along to the different batteries.