THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15100, 24 March 1911, Page 8

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentry,

[Iteug of interest concerning corps (town and country), shooting, and doience matters generally will be accepted, Copy, addressed to " Sentry," should ba in hand by noon on Thursday.]

Lieutenant-colonel Logan, commanding the Fifth Mounted Rillcs, lias boon granted leave of absence for nine months. Ho leaves next month for South America. Tho ''Duinedm City Guards bold their annual meeting on Monday evening, a full dross parade having boon ordered. Tile company has purchased the balance of

tho full drcs3 uniforms used by the lato City Rifles, and will now be able to turn

cut ICO men i,n full dress.

Tho annual meeting of tho Field Ambulance Corpe will bo held on April 4, when tho Evans Cup and the other trophies competed for will bo presented to the succoss'iil ones.

Tho annual moating of the local NonCommissioned Officers' Club is fixed for March 31. Recently the members of the

executive were photographed as a group for the purpose of presenting a memento to Sergeant Fraser (of the Duncrlin Navels) wh|D has left Dunodin for Auckland. Sergeant Fraser was secretary of the club when it was probably at its healthiest, and a magnanimous share of the credit for that satisfactory condition of affaire is due to him.

Staff Sergeants-major Cardo-le and Kassam, both formerly attucheid to Otago district, have been granted commissions. Both aro posted to tho Wellington military district, as area officers, the former for mounted and tho latter for infantry duties.

Tho establishment of a field battery in Invercargill has been cordially welcomed. Already about 125 men nave been enrolled, and more are offering. A difficulty that is being faced is the proper housing of the guns and harness.

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces long serv:co medal has been awarded to Gunner

Kcenan, of No. 2 Company, Otago Division New Zealand Garrison Artillery, his servioo to Fekuary 10. 1911, totalling 20 years and 27 days. The point at which the organisation of the New Zealand Forces under the new scheme will touch the individual citizen has almost been reached. For months

past the work done lias bean of a preliminary character, comprising the devising suitable regulations, mapping out the country into workable areas] selecting a,nd training under uniform methods those who are to bo responsible for the organisation and training of the population. Within a week or two the work of getting together those who are to form fee army will be commenced in real earnest. On April 1 the area officers and non-com-missioned officers will report themselves at district headquarters, u.nd will be immediately despatched to their respective districts. Advance yroofs of the now regulations are already in the hands of officers commanding districts and others, but in the meantime are to be treated as confidential. The proclamation calling upon all eligible to enrol will bo issued on April 3, a.nd tho area officers and noncommissioned will immediately commence the work of enrolment. That the young , men of the Dominion aro beginning to appreciate the obligations imposed by the passing of the new Defence Act is apparent from the numbers applying for ontry to tho various corps. For example, the Dunedin City Guards have taken on to the strength within the past few weeks about 60 recruits, raising tho company to 110, and it is expected that the 10 still required to complete the establishment will be enrolled be-fore the close of this weak. Tho Highland Rifles have added 20, and were 'it not for the fact, that the comiiany is endeavouring to

maintain the minimum height standard at sft Bin many more might have been added. Tho Dunedin Engineers added 41 recruits in two nights this week, and other companies have signed on recruits. Interviewed .upon his return from the training camp at Tauherintkau, Colonel Smyth "said it ha/1 been a treat to be prosent at the camp, which had reminded bint of some of tho best Imperial camps, a long tho lines of which it had been modelled. Tho period of two months was recognised as insufficient, but longer time was not available, as the sehomo had to wait until tho camp was finished. The officers and mon under training, however, wore eminently men of intelligence, and what had been accomplished even in that short period was remarkable. The drilling was excellent, and it was a treat to see the promptitude and precision with which the battalion turned out. Major-general Godlcy was thoroughly convinced of tho absolute need of thoroughness in details of drill to ensure discipline and steadiness in tho troops, and ojiLsidorablo time was spent in exercise along those lines. For example, special attention was given to the developing of a good clear stylo of issuing words of command. The officers in camp would form a largo circle. The- instructor would issue a command , , and each officer in tarn would fill his lungs and pass the command on. Great care was also paid to training in tho important matters of fire discipline and fire control. With a view td imparting to th© Territorial officers and non-commissioned officers of tho district as much as possible of the general principles emphasised at the Tiiuhorinikau training camp, thus promoting uniformity of methods, Colonel Smyth intends to hold a four days' training camp at Easter for all officers and non-com-missioned officers of the district. The camp will probably bo hold in one of the parks adjacent to the city, andi should be of immensely practical value to all officers and .non-commissioned officers wJio d-esiro to be well posted in tho methods to be adopted under the new regime. There will be no personal payments in connection with this camp. Colonel Hawkins is putting- into effect in Canterbury a similar proposition. Tho recent camp was in every way n pattern—clean, well-ordored, and divinely situated. The results of the system of instruction were apparent in the later stages, when the drill would have done credit to the smartest British regiments. Noticeable in all instruction was the extreme thoroughness thereof, no mistake, however slight, -being permitted to pass unchecked. Officers might be seen sweating in the ranks receiving a grounding in all work expected of the soldier, aiid thon being ordered out to take command, and thon back into the ranks minding their P's and Q's and tho angle of their rifles at the slope. All hands were severely tested in every conceivable and inconceivable way, very often when they did not know it. The musketry course was the best thing I have seen yet—the latest from Haythe, sane, sound, thorough, and progressive. Everybody brought away tho whole of it nicely tattooed on his brain. The J.D., visual training, and methods of standardisation, to Kiy nothing of tho miniatures and picture targets, would have made an enthusiast out of a wooden god. It saemed an impossibility to compress all that was done into 10 weeks, and the fact that it was got through shows how admirably the course was thought cut and applied, and •that it fell, us it were, upon good soil. Of course, it wns not done without an effort, and after tho official day was done you would see lights burning in the tents Into into tho night by people given over wholly to swatting. Everything appeal's to have been a success—drill, musketry, protection, orders, tactical schemes, scouting, tlio illustrious Chapter YII, mounted work, ceremonial, internal economv. A point worth. noticing is that both cavalry and infantry_ have been trained to act and instruct in either capacity, and' have a useful knowledge of up-.to-dato artillory work a« far as it affects either arm, whether in attack or defence. The lectures on cavalry, infantry, artillery, votorinary work, tactics, duties, orders, etc., were in themselves an education, but wore all nibbed in by practical application. As for the follows, they aro of a kind which anyone would consider it a privilege to bo associated with, both on account of personal characteristics mid military efficiency. A gymkhana was held on tho Thursday afternoon. It wont off well. Lieutenant Banks won the sack race and lieutenant Hudson won the tilting tho bucket. Successful competitors received a pic-oa of parchment signed by the camp commandant (ColonVi Heard) and _ Major-general Godley, which will in the times to conic bo a great curio. On Thursday evening there w<«s ft camplire concert, and noxt morning. battalion ! drill and .lectures till it was timo to go home.

Congratulations to tho Maniototo Mounted Rifles, who havo won tho Kogimental Shield, which was held last year by the Clutha Mounted Rifles. Although, owing to the encroachment of harvest operations, only two squadrons—Maniototo and Clutha Mounted 1 Rifles—competed, the performance was a meritorious one, as tho percentage of marks obtained (92.8) clearly shows. Further, having purged the ranks, the winners had on the roill only 55 men out of which to provide the entry of four sections of oight men each under a sergeant, and tho excellent showing mado emphasises the wisdom of quitting indifferent members. Tho conditions of the composition were tho punw as obtained the previous year, and furnished an exneting test. It is satisfac-

Tory thai the shield has been won by a squadron , which remains in the regiment, it being remembered' that the sth Regiment is losing the Clutha. and Tuaneka Mounted Rifles.

Officers commanding squadrons of the sth Regiment have been instructed to issue orders for three drills of one hour and ahalf s duratioia amd one half day parade of thr-se hours' duration in each month. This is the maximum required. To meet a long-felt want, and in order to keep in touch with bandsmen who have served in the ranks of the Dunedin Garrison Band, and who from various causes have found it necessary to sever their connection with that useful body, Lieutenant George has designed and had printed a " service" card, which it is hoped may form a link of comradeship between those who have served and those who are still serving. The design takes its form from the cap badge of the band, with a laurel wreath and sprays of rose,< shamrock, and thistle intertwined with oak leaves. Various notable dates in the band's history are shown, dating from 1876, when tho band was' taken on the strength of the Volunteer Force and known as the No. 1 Company City Guards' Band, to tho present datio under the Territorial system—the letters N.Z. and tho Southern Cross also appear, while the word Volunteer in the body of the design serves to mark tho passing of that system. The whole design is surmounted by tho cyphers of the three monarchs under whom tho band has served, and which are in themselves a record to be proud of. " Sentry" commends this excellent idea to other oorps. In the event of the New Zealand Rifle Association abolishing the bull's-eye and adopting service shooting, writes the Maeterton correspondent of the Post, it is very probable that the Wairarapa Association will increase its meeting to one as large as tho Trentham meeting, using the ordinary fixed bull's-eyo target. Good prize money would bo offered, and it is expected that an average of 300 entries per match would bo received.

The officers and N.C.O.'s of Otago will bs posted as follows: Group officers and adjutants: Mounted—Lieutenant Hay, sth Regiment 0.R., Dunedin; Lieutenant Glendining, 7th Regiment, Invorcargill; Lieutenant Banks, 12th Regiment, Balclutha. Infantry—Lieutenant Fraser, Ist Battalion, Diuiedin; Lieutenant Richardson, 2nd Bat-, talioh, Invercargill; Lieutenant Hudson,' 3rd Battalion, Oamaru; Lieutenant Henderson, 4th Battalion, Hilton. Area N.CO.'s—Sergeants .M'Gowan, Donald, and Stevenson are posted to Dunodin; Sergeant Iyimey, Gore; Sergeant Wright, Invercargill; Sergeant Alexander, Riverton; Sergeant Cuff,. Duntroon; Sergeant Edwards, Alexandra; Sergeant M Lardy.' Oamaru; Sergeant Muir, Mosgiel. Staff 'Sergeantmajor Cutts remains at Milton, while Staff Sergeant-major Burgess gees "to Balclutha. Sergeant-major Healoy comes to Dunedin, and Staff Sergeant-major Roberts goes to Oamaru, and- Sergeant-instructor Connelly to Kelso.