DUNEDIN ENGINEERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13651, 21 July 1906, Page 5

DUNEDIN ENGINEERS.

The function held annually by the Dlinedin Engineers for the presentation of the shooting prizes won during the year is always an interesting meeting, but this year additional significance was lent to the gathering from the fact thai, the twohlylirst anniversary of the corps' birthday was being celebrated. Last evening the exhibition of work presented at similar annual gatherings previously was dispensed with, ami instead a smoke concert was held in the Carlton Dining Rooms. Invitations had been forwarded lo ox-melnbers in various places, and, as a result, the dining hall was completely filled. Captain Ross presided, and was supported by Captain Denniston (Cadets) and Lieutenants Lacey, Flynn, Veitch. and Smilh, and Surgeoneapiain Biomficld. Amongst the visitors present were Major Beal, ex-Sergeants major Bryant, Jacobs, and Miles, cx-Quar-termaster-scrgcanfc Saxby, ex-Sergeants Morgan, Osmond, Patterson, and Beadle, ex-Sapper E. Keys, and Mr Patrick-. A largo number of apologies for absence were announced, amongst those sending their best wishes being his Worship the Mayor, Major Barclay, Chaplain-captain Mayne, Chaplain-captain Nisbcl, Lieutenant, Midgley, and Mr Orchardson, Captain Mathewson, and Captain Lindley. An excellent repast, spread by Mr Todd, having been done full justice to, Major Beal presented the trophies to Ihc successful riflemen, tho list being as follows :— Class-firing. First day—Sapper Wells 1, Sorgcs.li'. Ellis 2. Sergeant Keilar 3. Sapper Ledge I Pauper Clarke 3. Second day—Sergeant Ferguson 1, Lieutenant LaCey 2, Sapper Bragg 3, Lieutenant Midgley i. Hallcnstein's Clock and Cup Mutch.— Sapper Burrow 1, Sapper. Wells 2, Corporal Kei'nr 3, Lieutenant Lacey i. Ex-Sanper G'raut'o Cup—Sapper Wells 1, Sergeant Keilar 2, Sapper Dean 3, Lieutenant llidgloy 4.

Extra Prizes. First day—Sapper Lodge 1, Lancc-carporal Li>-11a.2. Second day—Lancecorporal Kenle 1. Lance-corporal Johnston 2.

Ladies' Challenge Belt.—Lance-corporal Johnston 1, Serjeant Keilar 1. Corporal Wells 3. Lieutenant Lacey 4.

Major Barclay's junior Challenge Cup.— Sapper Bonfell 1, Lance-corporal Uio 3, Sapper Coutts 3. Sanper Davey 4

One-day Handicap (Senior) —C'orpornl Johnston 1, Sergeant Keilar 2, Lieutenant Lnccy 3.

One-day Handicap (Junior).—Sergeant Steele 1, Lance-corporal Bryant 2, Bug'cr M'Kcnzie Ex-Members— Corporal Johnslon 1, Sergeant Ellis 2. In this competition a, prize was presented by the members of the corps lo Ex-sergeant Tonkin. ■

Tho toast of "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers," was proposed by Lieutenant-colonel-surgeon Will. He said that the worst friend the army had was the British public, who seemed to bo imbued wilh the idea that battles should be fought, without losing men. He instanced tho Paardeberg encounter, when Crnnjo was cornered. Kitchener had desired an immediato onslaught, but because of the loss of men that such an action .would cost, Lord Roberts had ordered that the course of starving tho enemy out be adopted. As the result, more men wero lost by typhoid fever, caused by foul water from Cronje's camp, than would have been the case if ihe laager had been falcon by force. The British navy was not so absolutely important as it had been. Tho success of the Japanese had shown llmt men able to shoot were of more importance than ships. The speakor referred to his record of 29 years of service wilh the Volunteers. Although he had been in about a dozen corns, h'is happiest time was that spent with the Dunodin Engineers. He concluded by urging ox-members to remove the "ex-." and assist in making the corps one of the most e.uV' in tlie colony.—(" Hear, hear." and applause.)

Captain Ross proposed the toast of "Tho Founders of the Corps." coupling with it tlio_ names of original members presentMajor Beal. Quartermaster-sergeant Saxby, Sergeants Osborne. Patorson, and Morgaii, and Sanper Keys. Ho did so with mingled feelings of pleasure and sadness— sadness at the recollection that there wero so few original members left, and gladness because of the pride he felt in being the third officer lo command the honourable Company of tho Dunc.din Engineers, a corns that from its inception bad been one of the Tory best in Now Zealand. Ho felt nroud in presiding over a gathering which included so many men who had passed through tho ranks. He sketched the career of the corps from its inauguration in 1885, at Ihe time of tho Russian scare. Numerous corps had sprung into existence at that time, some of them of mushroom growth; but the .Engineers had not only survived, but had retained its distinct, character, in spite of efforts to have the corps changed inio an infantry corps. At the meeting called to form the corps Major Beal had taken the choir, and 114 names were handed in, although the establishment was only 40. Later the establishment was raised to 63, and. again, after a great deal of agitation, further increased to 84. Then, within the past two years' Iho number bad been increased to 105, Formerly they had had no difficulty in maintaining a strength exceeding the establishment, and last year, when tho 105 maximum came into force, was tho first occasion when the corps had not reached full slrength, and was the first year when they bad been beaien for numbers by any other company of Engineers in the colonv. Ho urged _ ex--mcmbcrs to see that lliis was remedied. The corps was recognised by the officer commanding the district as highly efficient, and his reports had always been lo the effect, that the company was equal to any in Dunedin, as far as discipline, work, and general excellence were concerned. The speaker paid a compliment to his officers, non-coms., and men, and spoko of the good work done for the company by Major Beal. Major Barclay, their " old friend Sergeant-major Henry, and his successor Sergeant-major Ferguson. The (oust having' been drunk. « «reo birthday cake was brought forward, and having been divided by the original members in attendance, was distributed amongst Ihose present.

Major Beal responded in reminiscent mood to Caplain Ross's toast, and in a brief speech proposed the health of the present company. Other toasts honoured were "The Ladies" and "The Press." Corporal Lnttn, secretary of tlie Shontins Committee, road an interesting report of the shooting done by the company during the year.

Those, who contributed to the programme of music, etc., presented at intervals during the evening were-Ex-Corporal Wrighl, ex-Corporal M'Ncil. Ouartermnster-sergeant Roach, Lieutenant Flynn. Sapper Myers, Binder M'Kcnzie. Bugler Brady, ox-Sapper Wilhclmson. ox-Sappor Keys. ex-Sapper Begg. (solos), Corporal Etlieridge (recitation), Sapper Schacht, (violin solo).