THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16983, 20 April 1917, Page 8

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentry. No. 2 Field Ambulance will leave Duncdin to-morrow (Friday) morning by tiio second express, en route to Awapuni camp, where they will put in their annual training period, receiving the up-to-dato training which is being given to members of , u , l <jX Peditionary Force. Major Nowlands will bo in command in camp, the other officers being Captain Bone and Captain Cameron. Tho corps will arrive in Duncdin again on Saturday, April 28. Tho 12th (Otago) Mounted Hilles, Captain J. 15. M'Kinlay commanding, will asstimblo at tho Gore Racccourse to-morrow (b'riday) lor their annual training in camp. Jn orders just issued the following recent promotions are notified:—Lieut. A. S. Herbert and Lieut. J. L. Herbert (both oil active service) to bo captains. A number of promotions of N.C.O.'s in tho regiment arc also announced. It is mentioned with regret that none of tho N.C.O.'s. of tho regiment entered for tho February examinations, and squadron commanders are enjoined to endeavour to 'get their N.C.O.'s to enter for tlio August examinations, The dates _of i t.ho casuals' camp, to be held at Wnianakarua, have been fixed— May 22 to 30.

The camp of the 10th (North Otago) Regiment was struck on Tuesday, the southern men travelling by special train, which reached Duncdin early on Wednesday morning. As to the work and the training, it may be summed up in tho remarks of Colonel E. R. Smith, who, when reviewing the regiment on Sunday, speaking on behalf of himself and the officers, said that they were well pleased with tho results as well as with tho general conduct, and had found all through a willingness to accept the training and take it seriously. Colonel Smith decorated Quartermaster-sergeant Doran with tho medal for 16 years' service. A large number of people visited tho camp on Sunday afternoon, and enjoyed tho music of the regimental band, conducted by Bandmaster Fox. Otago was worthily represented at the South Island Rifle Association a.nd prizefiring at Redcliffs during Easter by a few riflemen. Lieut. Anderson, of the Otago Boys' High School, and Riflemen Gillick and Johnston, of the Kiwi Rifle Club. Dunedin, were in the final 40. and tho Kiwi Rifle Club's team was third (out of 19 competitors) in the Teams' Match, with a score of 458 (Johnston 96. Fletcher 93, Mollick 90, Gillick 90, Silvius 89). Lieut. A. J. Green, of n estport, won the South Isln.nd Championship with a score of 322. People who ask returning soldiers to bring letters ashore so as ti avoid tlio censor should remember that tlicv are asking tho soldier to make himself liable to a serious penalty, vide the following extract from the Soldiers' Handbook:—"Any soldier who is carrving letters for delivery in New Zealand must hand them over to t.ho ship's quartermaster prior to arrival, as no letters wJiicli have not been censored may be brought into New Zealand. There is a serious penalty attached to any conviction for this offence —see para. 22 (x) —and soldiers are warned to be very careful not to bring any such letters ashoro, as they are liable to get into very serious trouble by so doing.." . ■ Full ' military honours were accorded in connection with the- interment at Waikaka on April 14 of tho late Private Duncan Blaikie, who, wounded in the heroic fightinnr on Gallipoli on May 3, 1915, died at Goro on April 13. The ceremony will long be memorable at Waikaka. ■ By the cooperation of tho Motor Roseraro and private car owners, who provided no fewer than 42 cars, a muster of 134 military men from Goro and surrounding districts was possible. The parade state was as follows: —Staff, 1; 12th Mounted Regiment, i officer, 11 men; 14th Regiment, 26 men; cadets, 1 officer, 30 other ranks; Natio"nai Reserve, 1 officer, 33 men: Anzacs, 1 officer, 9 men; Goro Brass Band (under Bandmaster Warring), 1 officer, 19 men; —total, 134 all ranks. Lieutenant J. E. Winsloc, of tho 12th Mounted Regiment, was in command of the forces, assisted by Lieutenant Boyne and Warrant Officer Bishop, of the local Defence Office. Lieutenant-colonel Bowler was also present. The whole of tho transport was arranged for by Lieut. Winsloe and Warrant Officer Bishop.

Dear " Sentry,"—Being an aspiring N.C.O. I would like you to enlighten' me in re the position of Territorial sergeantmajors drilling with Senior Cadets, in relation to Territorial drilling with Territorial companies. I consider tho position as being very unsatisfactory c as" it stands at present. The following is an example:—Each Senior Cadet company is entitled to a Territorial sergeant-major, and as thus he is " attached" to a territorial company, but does his training with the Senior Cadofc company. The annual training camp draws near. Should that sergeantmajor relinquish his rank and revert to that of private, or is ho entitled to" retain liis rank of sergeant-major? I-Ie receives a sergeant-major's rank of pay while attending such camp. The next question is a very important one, and it is as to seniority. Tho Territorial company has its own company sergeant-major, who hap boon appointed, say, threo months previously, the sergeant-major attached to tho Territorial company and drilling with the Senior Cadets has held his present rank for, say, six months, who is the senior N.C.O. ? I have heard cases in which a Territorial corporal has refused to perform certain duties detailed to him by a Territorial ser-geant-major drilling with tho Senior Cadets on tho ground that the corporal was senior to the Territorial sergeant-major drilling with Senior Cadets. I consider that such cases are very serious breaches of discipline, but that is not a question for us at present, as they are old cases and w r e must not raise dirty water. If a Territorial ser-geant-major drilling with Senior Cadets does not get tho rcspect which is due to his rank, how can lie uphold his position? I fool these points very keenly, because I am directly concerned and have to attend the annual casual camp next month. There has always boon a certain amount of animosity existing between Territorial'sergeantmajors drilling with Senior Cadets and Territorial sergeant-majors drilling with Territorial companies, chiefly because, to my mind, tlio former docs not know his exact position. You may have been asked these questions before, but, unfortunately, for mo I have never seen them answered, and General Regulations, 1913, do not help mo very much. I fancy In 1914 an amendment was brought, in, in which the position was made fairly clear, but I have not got such an amendment. Trusting you will answer these few questions, and thus help the young N.C.O.'s. —I am, etc., Non-com.

The company sergeant-major of a cadet company is seconded from tho Territorial unit for training with tho cadets. Ho is shown on tho roll of Territorial unit as such and retained on tho strength of that unit. He is in all eases a private in his unit. When lie proceeds to camp with his unit, ho is a private no matter what badges of rank he may bo permitted to wear. Tho

question of pay in this case is not affected by tho ranlc. but comes under another regulation, which reads:—"A warrant officer, N.C.0., or man of tho Territorial Foreo appointed to perform tho duties of higher rank or appointme'nt during a vacancy at tho. annual camp, shall be granted the minimum rate of pay attached to tho rank or appointment, provided that tho proportionate establishment of such higher ranks in the unit is not exceeded. (Paragraph 157, Financial Instructions and Allowances Regulations. 1915). Interpreted,-this'means that, provided the establishment of sergeants, corporals, or lance-corporals in tho unit bo not exceeded, tho company / sor-geant-major. attached to the cadets for training may be utilised in any of tho foregoing ranks and receive pay of tho rank, tho duty appertaining to which ho performs. A widowed mother who is only partially dependent upon a soldier, provided the provisions regarding allotment of pay are fulfilled, may bo paid separation allowance under any one of the following conditions: (1) Widowed mother with no capital who earns or receives not' .more than 7b per week. • (2) Widowed mother in possession of capital not exceeding £250. but no in come other than interest on such capital. (3) Widowed mother in receipt of income not exceeding 7s per week but who is in possession of capital 1 not exceeding £50. Capital up to £50 not to be considered as interest-bearing: (4) Widowed mother in receipt, of_ income not exceeding 7s per week but in possession of capital exceeding £50 to be treated as receiving interest at 5 per cent, on capital in excess of £50. Such interest to be added to income, when the two together must not amount to more than 7s per week.