THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 14

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By SfiiJTBT. ' It is proposed by the Garrison Artillery to hold a divisional church parade at Port Chalmers towards the end of February. The scheme of work drawn up by the Dunedin City Guards, and comprising a comprehensive competition engaging all the officers and men is having a very useful effect in the company, the men taking up the various competitions keenly. Captain M'Lean will attend the Zealand Defence Forces Rifle Association meeting at Trentham as one 01 the controlling officers. The havoc wrought by a shell from the new pattern Howitzer which has recently been tested on Salisbury Plain was graphically illustrated in the Otago "Witness of January 13. The dummy soldiers provided so that the effect of the shell might be noted are seen scattered in all directions. It was a graceful and most popular act ; in connection with the Otago Kifle Association's recent meeting to pay a practical tribute to the worth of Captain Proudloot. The captain's inveterate enthusiasm for rifle shooting has been expressed ra ar incalculable amount of work m the interests of the association and riflemen generally, and there is no doubt that his friends felt that even the very handeome 400-dey clock presented but modestly expressed their sense of obligation. ' Sentry, wno fcae frequently iaid under contribution Captain Proudfoot's expert .knowledge concerning shooting, desires to add his -word ( of appreciation. , ; Shortly before noon on Saturday, 9th, tfte weather appeared co uncompromisingly hostile that the O.C. District deemed it. advisable to cancel his inspection ot TNo. l ' Battalion. _ _ „ ; The local field artillery corps, B Battery, went into camp on Saturday to commence their annual training. Captain Ritchie has on his roll at the present tea total of 75 which is an improvement of li uponi the numbers available last year. Everything now depends upon the weather, and, : given a favourable spell, a most successful camp is anticipated. Some useful work has been carried out , _ - during the week in the of.-tho Central Battery, where the 2 Field, Ambulance have been undergoing their J annual training. Comfortably quartered m ~"~ barracks the elements so far have interfered but little with the various drills held ' morning and evening. Waggon, stretcher, - and field drill has figured largely on the . programme of wonk, while the lecture room at nights has been a. veritable school ; cf instruction. Lieutenant-colonel de Leutour, P.M.0., Surgeon-captains Ritohie and Moore have attended to this important j - . department of training, the subjects re- ' f speotively taken t*?insr " Sanitation, j "First Aid," and '"The Sack' Room— j Care and Uses of Instruments." i In a most excellent lecture given to the Field Ambulance by Brigade Surgeon Lieu-tenant-colonel de Lautour. P.M.0., last I week a diagram of a destructor for "the. burning of garbage was of more than passing interest, as it is suggested such, a system should be introduced at futuire >~ Volunteer camps. Circular in shape, tiie •' destructor is constructed of soda to abeigsht I of 4ft by 2ft 6in across (inside), with tihree ; air apertures at the bottom. It has proved of great value for the destruction of all manner of garbage. ! " Target Practice " (1909-10) ie now with tha printers, and will be issued to corps about March 1 (now Volunteer year). The j following are the leading changes: — (1) Targets and value of bits will be same ac used at New Zealand Rifle Association meetings. This is introduced to save Corps the necessity of mantaining two olases of targets and two systems of marking. It should enable many company prizes to be competed for, in conjunction with the class-firing, (b) The figure targare amended to count hits- on figure, l an inner and magpie circle, (c) The retian of O.C. corps as to preliminary further training with rounds available is further extended, especially with Cadets. fd) A number of examples of simple schemes ' Jfor field-firing practices from a squadron t Jto & bat ta Lion will be included. In these jptttptices it is urged- on O.C. regiments •tud battalions that they be carried out pombjiued with judging distance. '■ . "Riflemen hay* a deal to thank their = SWige Cqanmifrtee for. As the result o? ttooi%xdtoabj£ i&DUgJht and expenditure of lume dn ifos part of this committee the ftaliCjhej; Baj^ JraiQge- i» now in a condition Mmnit^ly SiSwriior to what it has ever been. tin mhalfe of tKe G^Veffament grant jb iS be^n. fell c/ea^fed, all w mounds have : - imp reJE^uui, ahd tpc 500 ya^<|s accomm»- j tewer a ftrat ola/SE n|6un<J ■ » » targ.^e wl'yiout coa\ tp the con^al^. I *£ id "pr'Qpated to instfti & b^rmanenY teiepfc^ie, ii possible, otnS of fi|h.4e available, i jytferwi^ by oOQtributaone froM tiis varfous i'Ap '^f" 1 ,?? ewB acceptable lo Volunte.e.rs iJcr^ jnJiniation by the trustees of the ; : iixt\hon Hall tjiat the use of Uiq hall and ; OTajyljf r6&nifi (eicjusJTg of Ughting) it|o t S By* n teH ffse- of tdnif to ftfl cof 6a thit ' WLjW^ olst March tt@t paf e pa. a tnj&Tr i~ r§&t erul tore^re (|f HJttyj up tp l>bftfc< &&&, Ai\ f|:6^erri£hfc jn the ren^ optalnec Ipe he of the ball for public enterialnrqepts, . Baa helped to malco thi* -»rep possible.

The weights of the rifle barrels, without moveable appliances such as back sights, of the latest patterns of foreign and colonial service rifles are as follow: Germany, Mauser, 1888, 21b 12oz; France, Lebel, 1886, 21b Boz; United States. Krag Jorgensen, 1898, 21b 13oz ; and Springfield, 1903, 21b 14oz ; the long Lee-Enfieid, 21b 14oz ; short Lee-Enfield, 21b 3oz. Colonel A. Benton, of the Ordnance Board, Woolwich Arsenal, and formerly Commandant of the New Zealand Forces, has been appointed to the command of the Royal Artillery at Malta, with the local rank of Major-general. This is a very important artillery command. Malta is an Imperial fortress and a naval base ; it is garrisoned by about 7000 Imperial troops, of whom about 2000 are artillerymen. Applications are invited from officers of the New Zealand Defence Forces who are desirous of proceeding to England to undei-go a 12 months' course of military instruction, with a view to being appointed to the New Zealand instructional staff, in accordance with the following conditions: Candidates to fill iv form prescribed, and Mibmit applications throujjh the officer commanding their respective military districts, for consideration by a board, to be hereinafter appointed, which will recommend for appointments such officers as it may deem fit. ConcKitiOHs. — <1) Medical certificate to accompany application. Before final acceptance the >offioer will be examined before a Medical Board. (2) Candidates must not be lesa than 21 nor more than 30 years of age. (3) Candidates, if married, must submit proof of provision lor _pi'oper maintenance of wife and children (if any). (4) Education test: Standard -VI. or certificate 'by head master "from inter-collegiate 'school, certifying candidates had two years' tuition at the school and passed examina.tion equivalent to Standard VI. (5) All combatant officers are eligible, irrespective of their present rank. (6) Candidates must have at least two years' commissioner service, and be still serving at date of application. (7) Successful candidates will be appointed lieutenants in the New Zealand Militia. They win be required to resign their Volunteer commissions (8) Officers commanding military districts in "which the candidates are at present serving will, on submitting applications, t report as to their suitability. (9) Before 'proceeding abroad candidates will be required to serve for three months with the Permanent Force, .Headquarters, with a view of obtaining experience, andi to pass a final general and practical test bo the satisfaction of the Selection Board. (10) On completion of the proposed course, and on return to New Zealand, officers will be required to serve on the instructional staff, (ll) The course will be for ope year. (12) Having satisfactorily completed their ccutee, on j&kang up duties on the instructional staff officers will be appointed to the rank of captain in jpie New Zealand Militia. (13) Pay will be in accordance 'with general order Tso. 21/07 — namely, lieutenants, on first appointment, £175 per annum. (14) Passages will he paid by the department and an allowance of 2s 6d per day whilst on. board ship, in addition to which officers will receive 10s per day whilst in England in connection with the course, provided no quarters are provided by the Imperial authorities. In the event of quarters being provided by the Imperial authorities, "Hie allowance lyul b£ 7s -6d per day as from date, of landing {o date of 'departure from England. No allowances other than ihbse mentioned" wifl be allowed. (15) Selected candidates must be prepared, on the oae hand, to enter into an agreement with the department to continue in the service of the New -Zealand Government for a period of -at least three years on completion of the course and on return to New ' Zealand; and. on the other liand, the department will guarantee employment for the aboye-paentioned period of three years as an officer in the New Zealand Defence J\>rceß. The scale of pay will be as laid down in general order 21/07. (16) The particular training or education the accepted cahdiddte* will be required to undergo will be in infantry and musketry work.