THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 14

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentry.

A numbet of country companies, including- most of the .Southland troops, qualify for two days’ pay in_ connection with the Kitchener camp, haying completed 48 hours from time of entraining to time of detraining. The instructions with regard to non-payment for broken periods is being adhered to, so that most of the troops, although averaging perhaps 40 hours, will only be paid for 24 hours. In this respect the Garrison Artillery are unfortunate, for their period totalled 22 hours, and this being two hours short of one day, they will receive no payment at all. Those companies whose cheques may be .eld back will understand that it is because the regulation certificates from their commanding officers have not been supplied. The following are the results, of the competition for the Sargood Cup feu- the yearending 28th February, 1910:—•

m vi i,u [J. Insofar as it suggested that Colonel .Robin’s departure for India might take place before he was required to visit Auckland with Field-Marshal Kitchener, the rumour that his projected visit to India might be put into effect almost immediately has proved incorrect, His friends ■will be pleased that Colonel Robirr faced without hesitation what was tolerably certain to prove an unpleasant reception in Auckland. Whatever the merits of their case against Colonel Robin, the hostile demonstration during his visit with FieldMarshal Kitchener can only be regarded as an offence against gcod taste. Colonel Robin had a loyal champion at the Ist Battalion O.R.V banquet in the person! of that fin©. did Volunteer, Lieut.-colonel Smith. .In the course of his speech, Lieut.colonel Smith said he desired to express his sympathy with Colonel Robin because 'of the unfair and unjust attacks that had been made upon him in Auckland. He (the speaker) ventured to say that if exCaptain Knyvett’s case were submitted to Field-Marshal Kitchener the ex-captain would be relegated to obscurity, to remain there for ever and a day. It might lie possible, he said, to make out a case by means of which ex-Captain Knyvett might be whitewashed, but there were unwritten laws of military etiquette against .which he had offended, and h< ought to accept his punishment. If the pitch of enthusiasm which characferised the function held in connection with the Ist Battalion O.R.V. to mark the transition from the old Volunter system to the new, or Territorial, system of defence organisation is to be regarded as a reliable forecast there is rich promise for the new regime. Never since the celebration nights Id connection with the Boer War successes have councillors and Mayor, parsons and civilians, officers and privates, veterans and Recruits, joined so lustily in the singing of the old jingoistic refrain, “The soldiers of the King ” as did the cosmopolitan assembly at the Garrison Hall at midnight on Feb. 28, when hailing the Territorial era. And if the trim, solclierlik© men of the Cycle and Signalling Corps, who represented the Territorials in the tableau, were b true type of the future defence forces the Territorials will be composed of men of a fine stamp.

The conception of the function was peculiarly happy, and perhaps its spon.taniety was largely responsibfe* for its conspicuous success. The function was worked up very rapidly, and while credit is due to many, special mention should be made of Lieutenant Moller (who acted as secretary), Lieutenant and Quartermaster Moncrieff (who assisted the secretary and superintended the catering), Captains Dempster end Douglas (who spent a great deal of time oye the attractive decorations), and CaptaiD Fordham (who arranged most of 'the programme). The mapping out of a social to last four hours involves considerable judgment, and it is to the credit of those ■who drew up the programme that scarcely any items were omitted, that there was never an awkward pause, and that the culminating ceremony was fitted in exactly to time

Mr Hiarraway, as a volunteer of 4-0 years ifcaek, spoke interestingly and entertainingly. He vindicated his claim to be a man who <b'd not speak of a garden implement when he meant a spade. His touch of picturesque, exaggeration provoked unrestrained merriment. Up to a short time ago, he averred, they had in use the old Armstrong guns ■whioh had been on issue for about 40 years, and he assured his hearers that it was impossible to hit a barn with one of these guns unless you took the gun inside the barn and closed the door!

Until the new regulations are issued Volunteers will, to a large extent, mark time. Already recruits are offering freely for various companies, and it is likely that unde, the new scheme, where men. under 21 years of age have to choose between joining the Territorials voluntarily or undergoing compulsory training in the other force, there should be large accessions to the ranks of the voluntary force. More especially will this be the case if the continuous training camp for the Territorials is not insisted upon, although without this the scheme will be considerably weakened. The officers, non-commissioned officers, and then of the Dunedin City Guards are to be congratulated upon winning, for the second year in succession, the Battalion Shield and the Hardware Cup. The detailed results of the competition are as

The City Guards was the only company to complete the competition, for the Hardware Cup, all the others, save the Green Island Rifles (who mustered 10 more than half strength, and for other reasons decided to withdraw), failing to muster half their strength for the second portion of the competition. Ex-captain Knyvett appears to enjoy the limelight. He was amongst those who welcomed Field-mafrshal Kitchener on the Auckland Railway Station, and he appeared at the inspection in command of a body of returned troopers. The members of his late command, it appears, delight to be known as “ bulldogs.’ It will be remembered that these “ bulldogs ” had determined not to parade in connection with the visit of Field-marshal" Kitchener. It is recorded as altogether creditable to their ex-captain that he dissuaded the company from this disloyal proposal. When the Daily Mail instituted its Empire Day Rifle Contest in 1906 the first competition produced three entrants. The progress made since then is evidenced in the number of entries: —l9o7—l7 entries ; 1908 —612 entries; 1909 —764 entries. The competition, w hich is open to the whole of the Empire, will be fired on May 24. The conditions are as follows : —Ranges—200, 500, and 600 yards; rounds —one sighting shot at each range, (not to count), and the seven succeeding shots; position—Bisley position, standing, kneeling, or prone; rifle —any .303 service rifle ; ammunition —any ; sights —any, non-teleseopic; team —eight highest scores on day of match to count as team. Any number of men from one unit may shoot. The second and third class targets to be circular. No member can shoot for more than one club. The match to be shot under the direction of an independent range officer (who is not a member of the competing club), who will be assisted by an independent officer in the butts to check the marking. Ir special cases _ where teams j are unable to shoot on Empire Day (May 24), they may shoot on Saturday, May 21, or Monday, 23rd. I The prize list for 1910 is as follows; j The Daily Mail Two-hundred-guinca Cup to go to the club which makes the best score in the whole Empire. This cup to be held for one year only, unless, of course, the same club should win it two or more years running A Fifty-guinea Cup to be won outright by the Rifle Club _which makes the best score in the United "ingdom. A Fifty-guinea Cup to be won outright by the Rifle Club which makes the best score in any part of the Empire outside the United Kingdom. These two cups will be won outright and will remain the property of the clubs which win them. Silver medals will ; bo presented to the members of the four teams making the highest scores fin the United Kingdom. Silver medals Jib also be presented to the members of four teams making the highest scores in any part of the Empire outside the United Kingdom. A massive silver spoon, similar to those awarded by the National Rifle Association, will be presented to the members of the most sucossful team in every section of the Empire from which 12 or more entries have been received. 1

V 42 42 9 Q Si .2 -t; « a Corps. "o. o . C -*-> -J3 "3 i s § •Victoria Rifle Vol1 0 53 « M 0 ® O H h otf unteers (Auckland) 143 125 — 268 83.7 Orepuki Rifle Volunteers 154 101 — 255 79.6 Blenheim Rifle Volunteers . ... 123 ica. — 224 70.0 Dunedin City Guards Rifle Volunteers .. 98 71 — 169 52.8 No. 1 Company, Otago Division N.Z.G.A.V 75 90 . 165 51.5 iVaimea Rifle Volun- _. teera 67 73 — 140 43.7 "Kaitangata RifleVolutrtecrs 65 62 3 124 38.7 * Winners of ( cup.

follow: — Battalion Shield. w 9 to 2 .2 G ci _S C3 2 5-< 8 . O g> IS a C3 £ ■.s « n „• c tj ig 'B w Q <1 H City Guards 191 38.5 73.5 30 333 Green. Island Rifles 154 17.5 82.5 25 279 Highland Rifles ... 142 13 80 30 265 Caversham Rifles ... 143 17.5 69 18 247.5 Dunedin Rifles — — — * : —. Wakari Rifles >.. — * ,—• * Disqualified. Hardware Challenge Cup. ’ m - hO .-si G c« G S*d O Qj V 1 s c G c$ o § J i» ce 1 E-i o.S City Guards ... 69.9 73 Highland Rifles ... 50.2 — - Dunedin -Rifles ... 60.0 — Wakari Rifles ... — a — Caversham Rifles ... 49.8 — Green Island Rifles .. 54.2 —