THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2858, 23 December 1908, Page 13

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

— Bt Sentbt.

Gazette Notifications.— J. A. Sommerville ipomtecl lieutenant (Alexandra Rifles), eut«nant T. R. ilackay (Clutha Rifles) remed, Private George Frazer (Kaitangata ffics) awarded Colonial Auxiliary ng-sarviee medal. Th-3 parting message of the late Minister ' Defence : — " Wellington, November 27, 08. To secretary Council of Defence, ellington,— Please convey to the officers " your department an expression of my >preciauon of their unfailing courtesy and ndn-ess to me during my term of office, i terminating my association with the •partment I wish for every member of it og life, health, and prosperity. — Robert *Nab." Sir J. G. Ward is at present nvrying out the duties of Minister of Demoe. •The Court of Inquiry which assembled at i&maru last week to investigate charges foinst certain officers of the Third Batlion O.R.V. was constituted as fallows: resident, Lieutenant - colonel Bead;.Z.M.; members — Major E. JRichardson, iret North Canterbury Battalion), Caplin H. C. Barclay {Waimate Rifles). Judgig from the large number of witnesses immoned there is very little likelihood of to inquiry being concluded in one day. vice-admiral Sir Richard Poore paid a Mnplinvent to the guard of honour proided by the Dunedin Navals, supported by ; >m«ll detachment from Port Chalmers, ie whole under the command of Captain redric. The Admiral expressed a desire i inspect the guard of honour, and carried ut the inspection in anything but a curfey manner. His comment at the concluion of his inspection' was that the men> i»ere of an excellent stamp. He bet.rayed n intimate interest in the branch of the ervice represented, and plied Captain !*redric with questions. The muster was cry satisfactory in view of the fact that the O.C. had only 24 hours in which to notify his men of the parade. In only one «se did an employer decline to grant a Volunteer in his employ permission to cave business to attend the parade. The ical Garrison Artillery wero accorded a irailar ro'.-.m'irnent when acting as guard [f h<v»~- • ' rh« Duke of York in Dunjdir be ujr the only fluard of honour in|3 Dominion to b& inspected by the Duke. • -ii* heliograph ing- experiment carried! pit by the Dunedin Engineers on the 13th k.. i 'i an unqualified success, a record for yew Zealand being established. The me«fflgse winged its way intelligibly over an ir line of closo on 90 miles — a striking BBtimony as to the praotical nature of the •amir" undergone by the Engineers. A J"7~<? -■"Qiarkable achievement was, howf,' -. obtained with limelight. Injhis deiiunent the Dunedin Engineers have gone Be better than the authorities have deemed Jossihle. Tho War Office text-book gives j» effective range with limelight as 10 to > miles. The Engineer Staff Officer here ibkoned 23 miles a possibility, and thought he 35 miles between Oamaru and M'Kcn- »'» Cairn might be aocom.pl ished by euperbposing the lamps. The Engineers, howrer, connected the two stations with the ad of single lamps, and proved that the nessage from one lamp could be easily «ad by the naked eye at 35 miles.

fTfae O.C. District inspected the Engineer Sadete on Monday, 14th inst., field engij£erin£, telegraph cart drill, and signalling fork being done. He expressed himself leased with the work, and with the abBnce of bustle and noise, and was parjoularly complimentary in his references 0 the N.C.O.'e. 1 A surprise was im store for the 300 odd nemhers of t-he Dunedin Highland Rifles irbo mustered on Tuesday. 15th inst., for Jie full-dress parade with the Pipe Band. The sjo!ently wet weather made anything in |ie shape of a display parade impracticable, aid the men were marched to the Princess Jiieafre, where they enjoyed the very exfellent entertainment provided by the Kiliie* Band. ; A triangular match will be fired on 80xr.% Dar morning at Port Chalmers be»ween r«ams representing- the Alexandra. Jificß Bannockburn Rifle Club, and Port pva's. L Major Crowford, whose retirement from be service at <3ie close of the Volunteer 'ear was announced last week, has behind linn th» notable record of 32 years' coninuou* service. He joined the Dunedin .]ity Guards in 1877, and remained confj'iuously wjth the company until he was r-rirnoted to. the majority in 1907. He v*.«>?d through all the non-commissioned '•>hk~ <=aye that of colour-sergeant, being -Voted lieutenant in 1886, and later taking J-Rnpiar.d of the corps. In the days pre(cdina- his election to commissioned rank >o followed up shooting keenly twice at ending the N.Z. Defence Forces' meeting. Ip vras a good average nmarksman. and a fenial, popular officer. Major Crawford says Ifat_ his majn -reason for severing- hie corlectaon v;ith the force"* is that hia business lemand<! so much of his attention that he lias not sufßoiant time to do justice to hi= nilitarv work, and he prefers to reti™ rather than hold a position and not ade|M»telv perform the dutiee demanded Xv t. His nosition as major of the battalion endeis him liable to be called to the ©mraand sooner or Inter, and ac he has not be necessary time to devote to the duties if that position, he considers it opportune »>give place to a man who will be g-blo i> assume the command of the battalion hen necessary. jjplo &s to encourage the men vfao attend ■mdes the Wokari Rifles nave decided

that no member will be awarded a prize who has not attended at least 18 parades during the Volunteer year. . The Mornington contingent of the w atari Rifles is .making" good progress and bids fair to become the best section in the company. It now numbers 12 members, and several others intend joining after the holidays. , A right royal time was spent at the Garrison Hall on Saturday, 12th. when local non-coms, fraternised with non-coms, from the Australasian Squadron. The Dunedin K.C.O. Club had reasoii.to be proud of the venture. The visitors were voted jolly good fellows, and showed their appreciation in the manner in* which they looked after zm non-coms, who visited the squadron next ; day. * Staff-sergeant-major Catto has been transferred from headquarter*, Dunedin, to Milton (headquarters of the Fourth Battalion Otago Rifle Volunteers), as from December 1, 1908. A number of amended regulations have recently been adopted. In pursuance of its promise to expend more money upon the individual Volunteer, the Government has laid down in connection with the Garrison Artillery that, whereas previously only 12 per cent, of the company «nd only the eight most proficient signailers could obtain personal payments of £1, in future ' every man* may qualify for certificate, j badge, and personal! paymemt of £1. To qualify non-coms, must obtain 80 per cent., and men 75 per cent., in gunnery, electric j lighting, or engine-ilriving, the percentage ' to be obtained in signalling and; gun-laying Itobe as decided from time to time. No I- non-com, or man will be eligible for certificate, badge, and payment in more than two sections. A somewhat similar regulation in connection with Field Artillery was referred to recently, and the same conditions will apply to Engineers, of whom previously only eight in signalling, eight m field engineering, and four in telegraphy were eligible for the personal payment. The organisation of Field ArtiHery hae •undergone alteration. In future a fourgun battery will be commanded by a major, with a captain and three lieutenants and a total strength of 100, the minimum establishment to be 70. The staff of a. two-gun battery will be one- captain and two subalterns, the maximum establishment being In connection with the First Railway ( Pioneers the establishment and qualifioa- » tions for capitatfon, are to be the same as required for infantry. In the case of Cycle Corps the qualifications for personal payment and badges will be as laid down in regulations with regard to eicnalling seotions of Engineers. Hitherto it was required of Mounted Rifles that two-thirds of the strength should attend at leaet four ordinary parades in addition to the annual camp and the special paid daylight parades. iSiis regulation hae now been abolished. The regulation requiring that half the amount o f capitation grant is to be administered by the battalion staff has hitherto not been applied to Cadets. The Cadet battalions are n«w brought under thw regulation. Cadet offioeTs who have secured substantive commissions will in future be paid capitation at the same rate as adult Volunteers.