VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2758, 23 January 1907, Page 14

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

o j By Sen thy. The following promotions in the B Battery are announced : — Corporal Falla to be Bergeant, Bomba-rdier-drivcr Gardiner to b© corporal, and Bombardier-driver Smith I to be corporal-driver. i The new year has opened with two re- ( grettable fatalities in the ranks of Olaa;o Volunteers. Lieutenant Mackay, of tht • Kelso, Mounted Rifles, succumbed on the 10th in«t. to injuries sustained as the re- j cult of being thrown from a trap on New .Year's Day, and Sergeant Taylor, of the Wallace Mounted Rifles, was killed on New Year's Day through falling beneath the wheels of a dray. The latest issue of the Gazette announces ■ tho acceptance of three new rifle clubs — I Akaroa, Tiniroto, and Horoeka. I A column of Volunteer notes is to be a feature of the Southland Times in future. The Dunedin Navals have just concluded a competition for attendance prizes, com- I fieted for during the last -winter course. ' d addition to the ordinary parades 25 ' gun-drills were held, and these also counted ■for prizes. The following is the result. — No. 7 section, (15 men, P.O. Williams in ■ charge), 91.9, 1; No. 1 section (17 men, ; P. O. Valentine), 83.9, 2; Section 3 (16 , men, P.O. Crawford), 80 4, 3; No. 2 section (17 men. P.O. Morrison), 29.0, 4 : No. '8 section (17 men, P.O. Hood), 78 9, 5 ; No. 4 section (18 men, P.O. Bigi?<). 75.0, 6; No. 5 section (18 men, P.O Davi*), 70 5, 7; No. 6 section (14 men, P.O. Fra««r) j 70.1. 8. Tho average attendance through ( out the course is nearly 80 per cent., a | decided improvement on last year, when the average was only 65 per cent. In addition to the section prize, awards are | given to those who have not been absent during the course. The following men participate :— Petty Officers B'ggs, Farr, R. Davis, F. Davis, Morrison, Craw-ford, Dwight, Garbutt, Hood, and St. Clair, Gunners D. R. Russell, F. Smith, Darlieon, Napier, R. T. Smith, Urquharf, R. Cameron, R. Garbutt. Carev, *Reid. Greenfield, Harbott, and Lyng, and Trumpeters Parks, Sherriff, and Smith. _ ! Major Hislop's cup for the No. 1 Battalion of the Otago Defence Cadets has been won by the Dunedin Engineer Cadets. This is the third time the cup has been shot for. The first competition was won by the Engineer Cadets, last year No. 1 Company Boys' Hijrh School was •ueoessful, and this year the first year's winners are again on top. The win is ?. most deserving one, as the time devoted to shooting by the Engineer Cadets compares very favourably with that of a •enior company. In shooting, as in everything else, practice must tell, and the example of these Cadet corps might be copied with advantage by the other Defence Cadets in the district. The Minister of Defence has approved of the name of the Christian Brothers' School Cadets being changed to " Hibernian Rifle Cadet Volunteers." The resignations of Lieutenant Uesher, of the Dunedin City Rifles, and Lieulen»nt Scoon. of the Waitaki Mounted Rifle-!, have been accepted, in each case the name being placed on the active lnt (ynattai-hed) The appointing of a date ror the complimentary dinner to be given \>? trie Dunedin and District Officers' Club to Colonel Robin, C.8., is not vet possible, the lale commanding officer of the Oiago district being unable so far to indicate when he can come to Dunedin. The executive has •sked for 10 days' notice, if possible, in order that officers from outride Dunedin m*v have an opportunity of participating. At a recent parade of the Dunedin Rifles the vacancy caused by the retirement of Lieutenant Heatley was filled by the "lection of Mr J. E. Allen Tho new officer is the eldest son of Colonel Allen, of this city, and thus onteis the Dunedin Rifles with worthy traditions Mr Allen was formerly lieutenant in No 2 Company Wantrantii Cadets. At Polichet Bay on Wednesday the liirht was very puzzling, and as a consequence tke shooting was not of a very high order. P. O. Dry, however, contrived to put on a very good score at 500 varrV. he-n<r •withip one of the possible. This week it m proposed to hold the fire* competition for the prizes presented by Mr Logan and Col.-Sergt. O'Driscoll. . The abolishing of the franking privilege ( is not going to cause to corps the hardships which, before complete information wae to hand, were anticipated. It was never intended that companies should bear the expense of postage, an alteration in the sv-s-tem of fre» postage being all that was aimed at. It l>a* been decided to allow pai li omimai-'ler "f a company, squadron, or l>atte!\ 1« pt»r head of enrolled strength per -innum to eo\er <><>-( of po^age in connection with the administration of hit* command. Aa ojnouat of 30ti (jat «jniu«a mil 1

be allowed to each commander of a dhiMon. regiment, or battalion for a like piir-■pos-e. It wa-s a pity that some provision was not made at the recent tournament in Christchurch for Defence Cadots, who are certainly entitled to every encouragement. The boys are mostly enthusiastic enough, which fact is demonstrated by the Dunedin Engineer Cadets sending teams to Ohristchurch to compete in the senior corps events. And the results amply justified the experiment. In tho physical drill, the team secured fifth place among 11 competitors, being beaten by such cracks as tho Wellington City, Invercargill Guards, and the Victorian Artillery, the la<rt named only beating the cadet corps by one point. In the signalling competition there were 16 teams, the Engineer Cadeit team coming sixth with very few errors. A strong argument in favoiiT of the inclusion of cadot items in future tournament programmes is thus provided The Dunedin Navals have for a long time past made little use of their -excellent plajvt in tho way of boats, but now that fcheir large 37-foot pinnace has been fitted with an oil-engine, she is hardly Hkelv to remain idle for long as heretofore, but for pleasure and business trips alike should prove a srreat oomctnence to tho corps. The craft hiu, been fitted with a 5 to 6 hor^e-power Seal engine (twin-cylinder), and on her irial la- 1 week {rave much satiaf action, making q. handsome, roomy, and launch. Tho compactno=6 of the engine is particularly no:Hva«>le. The Ota-io Rifle Association* annual firnig th i - year proved the lanjf^r ard mo->t successful meeting; '\<sl hold under the auspices of that boch Iv tl"> first placa the ijrize-mon^y offered exceeded former total-, and in the next place the entries tiuinl>ered 113 as compare! with 94 last v"ay Tb*> prize money v. as V-a«^*cl ijpon an entry list of 120, but although ihe iiufifber fell *hort. of that the asscei^lion'xle-' fded not to exercise its ri£?ht 1( to reduce, the prizo-monev proportionately, but to pay out in full. Most of the prize money won locally, indeed, has alrcad-v b^en paid out, and the country remittances will be got off early next week. The extra ta'gct facilitated the expeditious carrying oui of the programme, and Captain Proudfoot, Lieut. M'Lea'i, ai.d OiVor.s — including Captain M'Ara. w-ho assisted Captain Proudfoot on both days with the dunes of range officer — who bore a share of the labour are deserving of all praise. Two or three slight alterations to the list of prize-winners supplied .to this paper for publication are necessary. In the President's match Sapper Parker (Dunedin Engineers), and Corp. Lee lOreti Rifles), placed 10th and 11th respectively, should be in reverse order. In the Citizens' match Sergt. Dewar (Oamaru), and Sergt. Bennett (Oamaru), should similarly be in reverse order. In the List Try Private G. Fra.ser (Katangata Rifles) should ,->e fifth, and Private Cooper (Wa-kari Rifles) fourth, and in the same match the last prize, credited to Gunner Kydd (Port Chalmers Navals), was awarded to Rifleman Clark (Naseby Rifle Club), the former, having won 10s perviously, not being entitled to compete. Challenges throughout the meeting netted the sum of £3 10s, a cireumstttneo. gratifying to the markers, I should i-nagiae. Of the 113 entries prizes were f^eeured by 93. The competitors from H.M.S. Pioneer made a very indifferent showing. The following are Vtie winners gaining the highest prizes : — Sergeant-major Montgomery (Port Chalmers Nava's), trophy valued at £5 5s and £3 13s 6d in cash : Colour-sergeant Harbour (North Dunedin Rif!e«), £6 3s; Lieutenant Wilson (Southland Mounted Rifles), £5 12s 6d ;* Corporal Ayson (Murihiku Mounted Rifles). £5 2-, 6d ;'Pmate W. J. Crimp (Green I-iand Rjfles). £5; Corporal Munro (Murihiku Mounted Rifles), £4 14s: Sergeant Clyde (Wakan Rifle-), £4: Lieutenant Soarle (Ca\er>ham Rifle-). £3 5> : Sergeant A. C. Crimp (Green I-land Rifle-), £3 4s. It is intere.-ting to ro" 1 tV>e collective oainint;'! of the various companies represented :--Duncdin Navals (.-ix men ccrnpet ing), £5 14s 6d ; Port Chalmers Na\aU 'se\en men), £12 14s: Oiaijo Hii«sar« Hour men), £4 14-, 6<l : Eiie.'iKfi- (three men), £5 2-; Dunedin City Guards (eujht men), i £15 15s ; North Dunedin Riflo.s (nine men), £18 Is : Dunedi'i Rifles (three men), £5 12s; Wakari Rifles (five men). £10 8> 6d : Caver-.-ham Rifles ()hree men), £4 5- ; Green I-land Rifle* (fhe men), £14 7< : Murihiku Mounted Rifles (four men), £11 15- ; Tiruce Riflea (four men), £2 16s: Kaitanrata Rifles (three men). £2 11- : Owaka Rifles (fi\e men), £3 10s; Southland Mourned Rifles (three me.i). £8 5« ; Du-icdm Rifle Club (five men). £4 7s 6d. Private Morrison, of the Dunedin Rifles, di-tinenished himself by seeming, at SCO 'yardi, two "possibles," one on eaih day. Other competitors who registered " pc> sibles" were Sergeant W. H. Crimp (Green Island Rifles) at 600 yards, and Privates Dipiue s*<srtli Duiiedia Rifleai, Coooer

(Wakari Rifles), and Healey (Waimate Rifles) at 200 yards. A fine performance at 200 yards was put up by Trooper Kimpton, of the Franklin Mounted Rifles at Pen rose recently. He succeeded in finding the bull's-eye for 16 shots in succession. The Wyndham Farmer is responsible for the following: — "A story of a smart man hoist with his own petard comes to us fro/n the mess quarters of a rifle association n. this colony, whose annual ' shoot' was held •within the past fortnight. A competitor who was suspected of being a 'pointer' was being watched closely by a couple of other shots. When it tame to the rapid-firing test — so many shots a man within a certain time, at a difficult range — the pair of amateur 'tecs saw the suspected one deliberately count out one cartridge more than the stipulated number, and fire them all off. They were about to protest at such an irregularity ; when, lo ! the S.O. had shot ' so well and truly that he had registered his full number of hits instead of the possible' of one less. Disqualification was the prompt penalty."