VOLUNTEER NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2653, 18 January 1905, Page 15

VOLUNTEER NOTES

By Scottt.

Programmes for the New Zealand Rifle Association's meeting at Trentham, to commence on March 2, have been issued. From all accounts, it would se&m that the attendance at the forthcoming meeting is likely to be a record one.

The Dunedin Bearer Corps will hold their camp in conjunction with the B Battery, the time arranged for the camp being from January 21 to January 28.

Lieutenant E. B. Mickle, N.Z.R.A., who for some time past has been acting as District Staff Officer in the Dunedin office, and who has been ' re-transferred to Wellington, left for the Empire City on Saturday. Lieutenant Miokle is a painstaking and courteous officer, and I am sure he has - the good wishes of all who came in contact with him for success in the future.

Shooting has been resumed at Pelichet Bay on Wednesday afternoons, and members of corps getting their half-holiday on that day of the week have the opportunity of putting in a few hours every week profitably- and -pleasurably. On Wednesday afternoon last 'the attendance was very encouraging to- those who have taken the matter up," and the-improvement shown by young members \ was, also gratifying. The. first' competition of the No. 2. match was -fired, -this being, seven shots at 200 yds, 500 yds, and 600 yds. The highest scorers were Volunteer" Baird (86), Sergeant. Dickel (84-), Sergeant Melville {81), an d Corporal Scott (80). ■ . " v Though the Dunedin Naval Artillery was not blessed witJi. very fine weather at the outset of its camp, -there seems" reason to believe that after all it will not have been so very unfortunate in this respect when the two weeks or so of the camp are up. The company has so far put in a great deal of useful work^ though owing to the large increase in membership and-the non-increase of the size of the batteries where the practices are held, it is now" znuoh more difficult to exercioe_ the company to the same "advantage as it" was a few years ago. This '"coming Saturday th© first of the competitive practices will be held at St. Clar, the second praotcee takng place at the Heads on the following Saturday. On Sunday morning next the company, together with the -Port Chalmers Navals, will be inspected at Forbury Park. The Port men will spend the afternoon *at the camp, which will be thrown open to visitors.

The Dunedin, Highland Rifles were favoured with a lecture by Surgeon-captain Church on Tuesday evening. The surgeoncaptain has the knack of imparting knowledge in_ an interesting., manner, and, needless to say, liis remarks were followed very closely The company ~ sent a team to Timaru at New Year time, and although each v member had to pay his 'own 'fare some 20 made the trip. Past and present members of the Highlanders--, can ' tell of many pleasant hours spent in Timara. at New ■ Year^ time, and! by all .accounts the last holiday brought to those visiting the city a full measure of good treatment by their northern "friends. _ The following' promotions have' been made in the Dunedin- Engineers': —No. 3 Seotion: Corporal Veitch to be sergeant, L.-Corporal -Harvey to be corporal, L.-Sapper Latta to b» lance-corporal ; No. "4- Section: L.-Cor-poral Milligan to be corporal, L;-Sapper Stewart ,to be lance-corporal. Corporal Harvey, Lance-corporal Steele, and Lance-corporal Macdonald, all of the Dtfnedin Engineers Company, have gained •ergeants! certificates as the outcome of the. reoe&t non-com, examinations.

-In connection with the ambulance work done by the D-unedin Engineers, .the following members have passed: — Medallions — - Lieutenant Midgley, Lance-sapper Johnston, and Sapper Andrews; advanced aid — Lance-corporal Macdonald, Sapmsrs Keilan, Helm, Ross, "and Bugler M'Kenzie. Referring , to the paper used for covering targets, tb.e~Mata.ura Ensign says, regarding the annual meeting of the Gore. Association li-sid at- New Year time : — " It is worthy of notice that the targets supplied by the association' stood the test of the weather remarkably well, arid although the water was literally, streaming off them at intervals during both days," not one of them was rendered unserviceable, and they were used throughout the meeting without any Tepapering, and are still fit for. service. They are covered with hosiery cartridge paper from the Mataura mills, whioh is put on in one piece, and will stand any amount of wet."

The School of Instruction seems to have taken on in Christchurch amongst the local non-commissioned officers. There have been about twice as many applications -as could be accommodated in the school during its present session." Every "non-com." in the Christchurch Engineers (says the Press) applied for admission.

The Penrose rifle range, opened at Auckland, is said to be the largest in the colony. It is over 1000' yards long, and the protection is Bft of bluestone. The target-house is in the centre, and 20 targets can be put up, 10 on each side of the house. With the improved shooting facilities now afforded it is expected that marksmanship in Auckland will manifest a big improvement.

At the meeting of the Auckland Rifle _ Association Private W. Cox, of the Bisley team, made the possible in the Rapidity Match, the distance of which was 500 yard's. Seven " bulls " were put on in the minute. An Oamaru correspondent sends the fol1 lowing summary of the association meeting, held in his district at Christmas time: — , " The N.O.R.A. held its annual prize-firing on the 26th and 27th December, when there was a record number of entries, extending from Kaitangata to Christchurch. The meeting was a, great success, and although there was firing for nearly 13 hours each day without a stop everything went off without a hitch or a single complaint. Considering the committee had only three targets and could only place two men on each, and had 76 men to put through-, this fact says a great deal for the management of the meeting. The marking was excellent, being clean and quick, and gaining the praise of all competitors. Out of' a large number of challenges only three were sustained. A pleasing feature of the meeting ■was the friendliness and good-fellowship that existed between everyone, competitors *nd officials alike. The scoring throughout • was not heavy, but considering the vile trickiness of the wind on the range it was •very good. The aggregate was won by the ■veteran W. Nimmo, who, though he has mot fired a ahot for 12 months, beat several Bisley and Trentham cracks out of sight. Prize-winners wer© paid at th© conclusion of each match, rather to their surprise, in ffliaw of the delay which took place last

year. The winners in the last match were paid within 10 minutes of the last shot being fired, which, I think, is a record for the colony so far as paying out goes, especially at rifle meetings. A first-class luncheon was provided on. the range, and visiting competitors were unanimously agreed that the 1904 N.O.R.A. meeting was the best-con-ducted and most enjoyable they had ever attended. The sub-committee of this association is determined to make this meeting the premier meeting of the South Island, since Oamaru is centrally situated and has one of the best ranges in the Australasian colonies. It has plenty of push and energy, and should achieve the success it deserves. Volunteer affairs have been rosy quiet her* on account of the holidays, but there i 9 a big teams' match coming off on the 19th, and the various companies are busy practising. It is for a Landsome oup presented by Mr Y. Buckley, open to all the companies in the battalion. Conditions: T&ams of 10 men ; ranges, 300 yards and 500 yards; 10 ahots and one sighter; service conditions. It is expected that nine teams will compete, and it is hoped that the competition will be better conducted than that for the now famous Ladies' Cup."