VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13874, 11 April 1907, Page 4

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Bv Smny, ' y Lieutenant-colonel Stewart lias beoii , ' c granted six months' leave of absence, with <■ permission to Jeave tho colony. 'J iCaptain Trask, district adjutant, is at t presont in Wellington upon. leave of 8 absence for e. few days. The O,C. district has issued instructions that one copy oi General Regulations, District Ordons, and General Orders ihall bo filed in each company orderly room, to bo available to, ail members. It is a notable fact that the expense in connection with' tho Duuedin Garrison Hand's visit to tho Chriatehurch Exhibition was defrayed by tho members themselves. The band's performances at the Exhibition were very highly 9poken of by all who had the pleasure of hearing them. The bandmaster was congratulated over and over again, both on the hand's playing and also on tho smart appearance of tho men. It was very cheering to tho .bandsmen to hear amid the applause such remarks as "Good old Garrison," and, following the eound, to seo an erstwhile DunecMn iVolunteer applauding vigorously. Among tho crowd wore cx-mombars of nearly all of. onv local corps, who sent bv members of the band their best • wishes- to old comrades, and corps. Tho ■ members stayed at tho Exhibition "Home," for, which the portion allotted, to tho band was turned into a barrack room. Tho men speak most highly of their treatment during their shw, and wish to return their thanks to Mr Towsoy (the officer in charge) and his staff. Defence, tho official organ of tho National jcaguo of New Zealand, is improving in appearance as veil 'as in the nur.litv of the reading matter. An appropriate and artistically-designed frontispiece has been adopted. In tho March issue will be found interesting details of the Swiss military system, something about the steps baing taken by the league to popularise miniature rifle-shooting, an article advocating a Militia in preference to a Volunteer system, and other items. Free railway passes to non-commkiioncii officers attending meetings re military matters at Non-commissioned Officers' Clubs are to be issued in future at the discretion oi the O.C. district, Ihoso using the passes being required to travel in uniform. Free passes to enable Volunteers to'attencl parades up to a distance of 10 miles arc also about to ho provided for in the regulations. Major Johnston has left behind him ft valuable report upon the ariiUnry force; of the colony. Of .tho field artillery,. he says there has been a general improvement, ' four batieries (A, B, 1), niwl til qualifying in A grade as compared with only' two tho previous year; I Battery taint; raised from C to B grade, while K Batiiory remains in B grade. The moan overage percentage of marks awarded if tho same as last year—viz., 75.96' per cent., although the percentage would have bnen higher this year had the "marks forshoo'ing not been included. Major Johnston is satisfied that the challenge shield scheme is .a ffcod one, and is larpelv rosponciblo for the improvement in discipline and general efficiency. He cannot understand whv in some districts the batteries are below thciv establishment, and regrets that in sonic eases there is a change of personnel to the extent of <!0 per cent. Owing to the practice scheme!, being much harder Ibis year than formerly—nearly all series being fired from behind cover,—tho figur-D of merit for shooting was low, and none of Ihe batteries scored first class. Of B Battery the renovt fays, inter alia: "This lattery is. although efficient, considerably below the establishment. 'flip attendance at camp was good, and the (lircip"iijo' excellent. Driaehmroite drill smartly, and both theoretical and nractic.il examinations in gunnery rcveaJori keenness and good general knowledge. Tho rangetakers did well in their practical examinations, but failed at the service practice to give accurate ranges. They had not been instructed in fioid-skctching during the year, and consequently failed in this subject. Tho gun-layers are very good, but ,thcro are only 11 qualified layers exclusive of .(he sergeants. Tho drivers, aro very efficient. Tho battery drill was good. The best snhsection in the battery is B (Lieutenant Hw-dman. S.C.; Sergeant Falk. No. IV" Reporting upon the results of the Challenge. Shield competition for Garrison Artillery, Major Johnston says tho attendance has again boon satisfactory, except in the Auckland district, although there was a slight falling-off in attendance in other districts. The competition had excellent requite. The continual change in the personnel was reiix-lvab'o.. The marks for gunnery were, except in. (.lie case of No. 5 Company, lower than in the previous year. Except in No. 6 Company, tho rangefinding was not so satisfwtory. Tho gunlaying results were very good. The report on No. 2 Company (Dimedin NavaJs) is as follows:—"This company is very efficient, and the discipline good. Although there was a falling-oil of the attendance during tho camp as compared with the previous "ear, the standard of efficiency in all subjects has lioon maintained, and the company has teen awarded a first-class figure of merit (0.726), A grade, for offinicney. and third in order of merit." Of No. . 3 Company (Port, Chalmers Navals) the report says:—"A very efficient company, and ite discipline is verv good. Fourth in order of merit for all-round efficiency, but first for shqotincr, having won the onp for coast artillery practice with -a figure of merit of 0.931 for the

current year. Thoro is a falling-off in tho signalling record ns compared with last year." Tho little bit of real harcl experience Rained by the Garrison Band while en route to tho cathedral city came when tjioy had to detrain near Kakaia on account of the accident to tho preceding train. This happened in tho cav\v morning when tho majority of (ho br.ndstr.cn were asleep, and the first intimation they had was a most unsociable thump in the ribs or any other convenient part, with tho remark: , "Get your kit and fall in." These two items coming together were liable to disturb the equanimity of tho most eociablo of men—especially when there ie a difficulty in getting oven one eye properly open. On top.of this Micro was a walk of about half a mile over rough ehinglo and tussocks in the face of a very strong wind. These combined difficulties, however, tended to freshen the bandsmen up considerably, aud by the timo they re-entrained tliey were all as cheerful as ever, and quite satisfied that things might have been much woreo. At a farewell banquet in Wellington, Major Johnston spoko in complimentary terms of Mastar-Gunnor ■ Richardson. 'Master-Gunner Richardson, he said, was the very best non-commieeioncd officer ho had ever mot—(checre)—and had ho remained in the regiment ho would by this lime have bean a captain.—(Renewed cheering.) He had hcon the speaker's riphthand man, arid he had th" greatest respect for him as a man as well as a noncommissioned officer. There wore very few 'billots Mostor-Gminer Ttiohardeon was not capahle of filling, and had ho been in the old Napoleonic wars ho would .have risen very high indeed—probably to the rant of general. Speaking at a dinner in connection with tho 16th Lancers. Col. Gouprh is thus reported:—Ho referred to tho return amongst them of Col. Babington, under whom the 16t-h Lancers, had probably attained their highest state of efficiency. He propped Col. Babington's health amidst an outburst of great cheering. HOW I TTIAIN T FOR A RIFLE MEETING.. " Vi'ikh a view lo securing the ideas of riflemen upon tho best methods to adopt, in wdor to reach fonn for a shooting meeting I have sent a cirou-lar of inquiry to 6overal of tho more prominent chots throughout the colony. A number have, replied, and others will no doubt respond. The fir-st to Imukl is from Sergt. W. Drammond, of Dnnnevirkc, who farwards an interest ing photo which will be reproduced in the Olagn Witness. Tho proto shows hie father (also a good rifle shot) o.nd himself with a large and valuable collection of trophies which have fallen to their joint prowess. Serjt. Drummonl wriiee as follows : —

"For a mooting like Trenthnm I generally start to train about the end of December. Igo in for plenty of outdoor sport, euoli as cricket and tennis, as I lincl it as good as anything to make one ohysically fit, and it is ne ueo a man trying, to shoot well unless he is fit If ho oivnnot Rot any outdoor sport enon as I have mentioned, Ist him tako walking exercises (hilly country preferred), also breathing oxercis€6, as one has to hold his bror.th for a' certain length of time whilst gcliinjj away a chot; bo, if he practises that, lie will find it makes a difference of a. few points to his score, as he will be just as fresh at; the finish'of his shoot as. at Hie start. I also do a lot of snapping practise to get control over the trieger. It io almost as good as sjoing on the rango at commencement of training. With regard to my methods of living. I. never alter them. o>3 I take what I would if I were not, Fhootimv , I go out to the range about '■hroe davs a week, .and always fire over, three rang&s. One day I will go out at 4 a.m.. next lime about noon, and thirdly iafe in thn afternoon. 51V idea is to (ret accustomed to various lights. In coneefjKcnco lam very seldom troubled with elevation (high and low shots. I nover practise with flags on the range. I prefer not to use them, as I like to GtudyMic .surrounding foliage. _I am not, against the use of them, but I maintain one should do mitlioiit them us much ar, poesiblc while practising. Lot him pwRO the wind from natural surrouhdings first, then lie can glance at flag and compare. I smoke very little and am a teetotaller."