WEAPON TRAINING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26242, 28 August 1946, Page 4

WEAPON TRAINING

COURSE FOR SCHOOLBOYS Forty-five n.c.o.’s and selected boys are at present taking a course in weapon training at the Drill Hall at Dunedin. The course, which was started on Monday, will be completed on Friday, after a day at the rifle range at Pelichet Bay to-morrow, in which the Vickers gun platoon will shoot with that weapon and the boys will use the rifle, the Bren gun and the Sten gun. It was stated by an officer of the Army Department yesterday that the work was being conducted on the basis of a team competition. The boys, who were from a number of secondary schools, mostly King’s High, had shown particular keenness in the course. They started the day with a parade in the morning, after which they usually saw a training film, he added. Those which they had seen to date were “ Safety in Handling Weapons ” and “Section Landing and Fighting Patrols." and they had yet to see “Battle Drill.” The boys were engaged in shooting with .22 bore .303 rifles yesterday afternoon.

a slight increase over those of the previous week. For the week ended on Monday the number of meat coupons handed in was 6885, compared with 5825 the previous week, and butter coupons totalled 254. compared with 100 the previous week. It is hoped when the postmen’s whistle is heard in the city that householders will have their coupons ready any day within the next fortnight. At the end of each day the totals received throughout the city and district are tabulated, and the result is forwarded to Wellington. In country districts in which there are no postmen the postmasters will ask callers at the office for coupons, and it is hoped that rural delivery mail contractors will also collect the coupons from residents in the country. If the response on the postmen c walks during the next fortnight is at all worth while—and there is no reason to suppose that residents will not be prepared to make a special sacrifice—particulars of the numbers submitted in the various areas will be published so that residents will have an indication of the area in which the best response is being made.