VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 14

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

»■ ♦ Bt Sentht. The promotion of Lieutenant Bremner (Caversham Rifles) to , be captain as from June 5 is gazetted. Other Gazette notices are to the following Effect: — Captain Rodger, Tapanui Rifles, resigned, and posted to Active List (unattached); Captain White, Winton Rifles, transferred to Active List (unattached) ; D. M. Fastier, appointed lieutenant, Green Island Rifles; J. White, appointed lieutenant, Wakatipu Mounted Rifles. The request for tramway concessions for Volunteers in uniform has been granted by tho City Council, the estimated expense (£100) being drawn from the general instead of the tramway account. This is a gratifying recognition of the claims of Volunteer defenders upon the oivie authorities whose property the soldier is being trained to defend. Tie Defence Council has ordered 400 copies of the " Manual of Trumpet and Bugle Calls" for distribution amongst Volunteer corps. In future an account of expenditure of the free *issue of ammunition is to be kept by each corps, and a return furnished with the capitation roll annually, showing how the ammunition has been expended. Lieutenant Lacey, of the Dunedin Engineers, has been appointed signalling officer for the Otago Military District. As far as can be learned this appointment to the staff need^not affect Lieutenant Lacey's connection with the Dunedin Engineers. The appointment implies a compliment to {Lieutenant Lacey and to the corps to which "he belongs. A new instructor is undergoing training to take over the instruction of mounted : rifle corps in the Otago district. He is .due here in a fortnight's time. The disagreeable weather experienced on Abe 22nd inst. might have given reason for the assumption that it was merely the ordinary battalion parade that was being held. The nigbt was quite unfavourable for the tactical movement arranged in connection with the route march, but, then, picked weather is not always available either on active service or when tactical schemes have to be carried out. Such a •manoeuvre could no doubt be' more successfully carried out on a summer evening, iwhen the muster might also be improved jnpon. Tix-& -ofcj-ee* o£ tiio er^ning'e work .was the gaining of practical knowledge in route marching and manoeuvring by night, and to a certain degree the object was attained. The Blue force, under Cap.iain Fredric, presumably effected a landing and occupied the hills at St. Glair, preparing an ambush for the Red force (order Lieutenant-colonel Stoneham), advancing to repel tl» enemy. J TJ» Red force sent oat an advance party, which engaged the Blue, sad held its ground pending the arrival of the main body of tiie Red troops to complete the diioonmtnre

of the intrepid invaders. To each of the forces was attached a section of the Bearer Corps, which had several casualties to attend to, the wounded being brought in on the ambulance waggon. In connection with the sending of the New Zealand te*m to compete at the Commonwealth meeting' next October, die passing of a Government truant is awaited before representatives are selected. It is understood the U.S.S. Co. has agreed to allow a 20 per cent, reduction in fares to marksmen attending the meeting. ! The conducting xrf & War Game, under ! the supervision of the O.C. District a* chief umpire, occasioned a late sitting of the Dunedin Officers' Club on the 19th instant, the boor of rising being 11.45 p.m. Captain Wolstenholme conducted the i Blue and Captain M'Ara the Red side of tie game. The general idea, was that the Blue force, acting in conjunction with an attack by cruisers on the forts at the Heads, bad effeoted a landing south of Dunedin with a view to seizing the railway and preventing reinforcements arriving from the south. The Red commander had not yet completed his concentration at Dunedin. The Cycle department secured a victory over the Infantry department. Summing up the engagement, the O.C. District says that Blue took up the best position, but broke up and scattered hie forces too - much. A detachment of 30 men was sent too far in advance, and, as a consequence, was captured and destroyed by the enemy. : Blue also held on too long 1 to the detached* post Maxim Hill, losing a maxim gun and a half company. Red's first mistake was that he did not throw out his forces wide enough, and thus passed Maxim Hill without discovering an enemy there. He did not make sufficient use of his mounted rifles, really. Upon finding Blue at Maxim Hill he made a purely frontal attack, without any at» tempt at turning the flanke, and kept back his reinforcements co long that Blue was able to hold him in check and gain time. Blue achieve^ his object, which waa to hold his position until 2 o'clock, and cover the landing of his main. body. A writer in a northern paper suggests an interprovinoial match between Canterbury and Otago at 200, 600, and 600 yards, either during Christmas or New Year holidays. The general class of instruction will be held in Dunedin. from September 11 to 21. The instruction is to be as practical in character as possible. aja.A die proposal is #iat the officers shall go into camp. The season of the year, however, makes it probable that they will have to co into quarters instead. There is every indication tibat the instruction will be comprehensive^ as officers are required to bring rifles, field and note books, and {if possessing same) olinometere, aneroids, aelo glasses, rangefcicfere, etc. ; whilst the property on issue . to the Engineers will be at the disposal of Ml© instructional $»& Jk c Instructor-jn-ojjief will be Oapttin B. ff. W. Lasoelles (3rd Dragoon Guards), of tpe Genera} Instructional Staff, pad n§ will h*v* tne^

assistance of the District Instruction and Permanent staff. The Distriot Class of Instruction arranged for Gore will be held instead at Balclutha, as it has been found that a large number of officers will be available at the latter place. The results of the examination for N.C.O.'s certificates in connection with the -Dunedin Engineers have come to hand, and are most satisfactory. The examination was held under Major Barclay, and the whole of those who entered received sergeant's certificates. The names "of those who sat for the examination are Sergeant Parker, Corporal M'Neil, 2nd Corporals Thomson, Barlow, and Brown, Sappers Foote and Clark. Sohools competing in the Schools of Empire competitions are to be granted 500 rounds of ammunition. All corps not equipped with great-coats are required to obtain same as soon as possible. Each corps must also maintain equipment for the whole establishment and not for the present strength of the corps. Extract from a district order: — "A newspaper when Riving an account of an injury to a Volunteer at Invercargall through trying to remove a rag from his rifle with blank cartridge, refers to this method as the 'usual course.' Men are cautioned against the folly of such a proceeding." The following officers will sit for examination on Wednesday. September ♦; at tte various centres, as follows : —Dunedin — Major R. Crawford. Ist Bn. 0.R.V. ; Lieut. J. Searle, Caversham Rifles; I#ieut. W. Toms, Cromwell Rifle Volunteers. GoreCaptain R. Fraser, Gore Rifles. Oamaru— Lieut. J. Johnston, Duntroon Rifle Volunteers. Invercargill— Major J- S. Murphy, 2nd Bn. 0.R.V. ; Lieut. W. Heywood, Awarua Rifle Volunteers.