THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2823, 22 April 1908, Page 31

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Bl SKNTKT.

[X>-ms of interest concerning corps (town and country), ihooting, and defence matters generally will be rccepted. Copy, addressed to " Sentry," should be m hand by noon on TkurecUy.j

The appointment of Mr F. Waite to he Acting-captain Dunedin Engineer Cadet Volunteers, and Mr C. H. Thompson to be Acting-captain Wakari Cadet Volunteers are notified m General Orders. The shooting report submitted at the annual meeting of the "Wakari Kifles records high praise to Sergeant Clyde, who has for the fifth year m succession won the championship belt. During the five years there have been 26 competitions for the belt, and Sergeant Clyde's average was 91 points' for competition. . It -is doubtful whether more consistent shooting could be shown m any other company. The runnerup last year was a member of the same family, Private J. D. Clyde, who was beaten, by only 6 points. The average of the first five men was over 87 points per competition. Although the shooting of the lead m jf seven was about the average of last yeair, the shooting of the other members of A class had not been up to the average. The number of rounds fired during the year was 7930. Possibles were scored by Sergeant Clyde 1&t 200) and Oolour-sergeant Wilson and Corporal Marshall (at 500 yards). The Australian team will go to Bisley this year, but at the request of the executive of the Commonwealth Council of Rifle Associations the Minister for Defence has promised to favourably consider the placing of a grant for a team on next year's estimates. The new territorial army m connection with the Imperial forces was to come into being on March 31 next, and there has been much speculation as to how the new order is going to be received. Volunteers cease to exist, and may or may not, according to their desires, enrol m the Territorial Army. The term of enlistment is four years, and at the expiry of that term a man may be enlisted again for a further period of not less than one year nor more than four years. The system will remain quite voluntary. The Territorial Army will be -under the control of country associations, and .by reason of this the general public will be brought into much closer contact with the forces of the country. Mr Haldane, at the head of the War Office. is confident that the Volunteers will join the Territorial Army, and General Sir John French shares this optimism. Much depends upon the result of this experiment, fcr should it fail there remains nothing but Compulsory service. The Territorial Force will consist of all arms and departments. If a Volunteer wishes to leave the arm to which he belongs and to join another, he must enlist for tlie full period m that arm, m addition to undergoing a medical examination as to his physical fitness for it- If a Volunteer belongs to a unit the strength of which is m excess of the authorised establisment, or belongs to a unit which is to be amalgamated with another, or which is not required m its present form, he may join any other unit provided there is a vacancy for him m the establishment of the unit he wishes to join. The 6ame rule will apply to Volunteers who belong to the Garrison Artillery, and who wish to transfer to infantry or to mounted branches of artillery. . The Army Council is (says tlie united . Service Gazette) taking very practical steps ; to silence the critics who did so much shouting recently, because certain very wholesome advice was administered by the council to the National Rifle Association and other kindred bodies. Accusations were hurled at the War Office of trying to destroy interest m rifle meetings, while, as a matter of fact, the suggestions made would present themselves to any practical shot, as just of the nature to lend novelty to the competitions, and to awaken new interest m rifle 6hooting generally. But it is efficiency the Army Council are really m search of, and their ideas on the subject are being given shape m the experimental course of musketry now being carried out m various military centres. The course is to be very brief, and if it proves successful^ will, m addition to improving tbe shooting of our soldiers, go far towards solving the problem of range accommodation. The number of rounds fired will be less than it was before, but the advantage claimed for the course lies not m the quantity of ammunition fired, but m. the value of the practices carried out. Five rounds are fired at 100 yards, the score made being arrived at by the grouping of the five shots on the target, the -highest score being credited to those^ who place all fivo shots within , a four-inch circle. The position of the group on the target is of less importance than the area which it covers. At 200 yards fifteen rounds are fired with fixed bayonets m one minute, and at 300 yards five TOunds snap-shooting behind cover will be fired. At 500 and 600 yards five rounds, fired deliberately at each distance at a figure target, completes the course, the qualifying figure of merit being 95. . ' Th© following extract from circular memo. No. 4/08, from the Quarter-master-general, is published for information:— 'Please note that the annual allowance of ammunition will be withheld from all corps who have not complied with paragraph No. 447 General Regulations." Major P. W. Richardson, shooting captain of the British team which visited Australia last year, writing to Sergeant D. M'Calley, under date March 2, (from London, states that the Counoil of the National Rifle Association has confirmed the admission of all serviceable military sights m all competitions. Whether the War Office would also approve remained to be seen. This news came as a welcome surprise to M'Calley, who hae already been invited to grant the sole agency m the United Kingdom for his well-known sights to a leading *-* ■'**—■- ""* >ge It may be that he will visit

England shortly m the interests of his patent. The following complimentary memorandum re the recent church parade to First Church appears m- district orders — "The Officer Commanding Oistrict considers the church parade of the Field Artillery, Engineers, Pioneer Corps, and Dunedin Garrison Band, hei don the sth instant, reflects great credit on those branches of the service, and congratulates all ranks tn their smart appearance, soldierly bearing and steadiness, the invariable accompaniment of efficiency." It is proposed during 1908 to hold courses of instruction under -the General Instructional Staff at suitable centres m eac'i district. Unless any objection is raised, the courses will be held as specified below. Special technical courses will be arranged separately for Garrison and Field Artillery, and Field Engineers ; but senior officers of these branches should endeavour to at. tend the senior officers' course below named: — Course 1. — For cix days continuous ; open to N.C.O.'s throughout the district. Course 2. — For six days continuous; open to officers, junior course. Course 3. — For six days continuous; open to officers, senior course. * Under General Regulation's 97 and 10i s open to all officers and non-commission-id officers m the district who may attend : -vNelson— 1, six days continuous p^and 3 (combined), six days continuous (divided" m July). Auckland — 1, six days continuous; 2--sii days continuous ; 3 six days continuous (divided m August). * . Otago— l, six days continuous; 2, six days continuous; 3, six days continuous (divided m September). Wellington— l, six days continuous ; , 2, six days continuous ; 3, six days continuous (divided m October). Canterbury — 1, six days continuous; 2, six days continuous ; 3, six days continuous (divided m November). In addition, the usual preparatory classes at district sub-centres are to be arranged under the District Instructional Staff.