THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 6

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentry.

The appointments of A. L. Wayte and S. D. E. Neill to be lieutenants in the Seventh (Southland) Mounted Rifles and ?Fourth Regiment (Otago Rifles) respectively are gazetted. The disbandment of B Company, Eighth Regiment (Southland Rifles), and its 'reformation as J Battery as from April 18 is gazetted. The formation of the Otago Mounted Brigade Signal Corps, with headquarters at Oamaru, and with effect from March 17, is also gazetted. The corps will be commanded by Captain C. B. Morris, who is transferred from the active list (with the rank of captain) with effect from March 17, 1911. An infantry brigade corps of the same character has been formed in Wellington out of E Company, Fifth Regiment (Wellington Rifles). . _ Lieutenant Herdman, formerly with J 5. Battery, has been transferred from the active list, with his present rank, to the newly formed K Battery at Hamilton. The appointment of the Rev. G. H. Balfour (of First Church) to be Honorary Chaplain is announced in the latest issue of the Gazette. On Wednesday last the new chaplain attended the parade of the Dunedin Engineers lin order to make theacquaintance of the men. Tho Dumedin Navals still exist as an integral portion of iJfe Now Zealand Defence Forces, although the fiat has long since gone forth that they would not be required. Up to within a week ago tho srms and accoutrements were still in possession of the company, instructions to return them not having been (received. Tho Government property has now been returned to store. The company still has ' some personal property, including the orderly room, which at present is loaned to the Defence Department. None of the rank and file of the company with whom continuance in the force is optional will remain in' the forces unless som'e of them accept Lieutenant Tli»m'« invitation to become Cadet officers. Twenty-three members of the company are obliged to remain and complete their service under the new scheme. A meeting of the company can still provoke a muster, and attendance of about 90 being brought together recently. Advantage was taken of the occasion to hand to Lieutenant Skelsey his commi: sion.

The registration of persons liable for service is being pushed on by every conceivable device. For the week ended May 6 the Otago enrolments totalled 869 Cadets and 532 Territorials. The complete numbers registered in the district up to that date are 2020 Cadets and 1209 Territorials. Lieutenants Banks, Hudson, and. Hay have just completed personal tours of their areas, including Central Otago, Balclutha to Edievale, Invercargill to Lumsden, and Mossburn. During their travels they have visited many townships and have come into contact with all classes of men—mayors, councillors, - shop-keepers, manufacturers, farmers, etc. —and the unanimous report h that the present defence scheme has the sympathy of all classes. Some raised points of difficulty, but inevitably the Dersonal explanation was accepted as satisfactory. Lieutenant Hay's experience goes to show that dilatoriness in registering in the country he covered is due to procrastination rather than to hostility. Like the census enumerator, the officer or non-commissioned officer making house to house visits in connection with the new Territorial forces has whimsical experiences. A very elderly lady who attended the military summons at one house had preserved a healthy sense of humour. No, she had no boys between the age? of 14 and 21, but she had one girl who might be accepted for registration: Accepting the spirit of the remark the military man inquired the age of the " girl." She turned out to be 54 years of age, and was not registered. From another tardily opened door a frousy head was thrust. When the, officer had indicated his mission he was recsived with enthusiasm. Not that she had eligible young men of her ownshe had none, but the people next door — and she indicated the place—had _ boys. "You get on to them," she said; "it will do them good, for they are always knocking about the streets at night, swearing and carrying on!" One of the agreeable legacies of the Boer

War is the spirit of abidinc comradeship engendered amongst the individuals composing each contingent. A typical and touching instance of this is revealed in connection with Private Beath, of the Second Contingent. Private Beath has been ill for some time, and his comrades

in the Second Contingent have arranged together to pay him a visit and oiier Jaim cheer and sympathy. It is not generally known that men who were over toe age of 21 on November 2, 1910, and were serving in the Volunteers prior to that date, may remain with the colours up to the age of 50 years, but are liable to discharge or transfer to the reserve (according to age) at any time if there are young men liable for service awaiting absorption in their unit. At a meeting of a school, committee not more than two or three miles from .the centre of Dunedin the appointment of a teacheir for the infant department was under consideration. Several members testified to the merits of a lady applicant for the position, speaking of her success with the various standards over which she had had charge. At length a venerable committeeman arose and delivered himself thus: " It's all-very well to say how successful this candidate has been with standards, but the question is, what does she know of infantry " Sinoe he joined the Defence Forces, in 1878, Private Sonntag has become known for his ardent love for shooting. In the course of conversation on the eve of severing his connection with the Dunedin City Guards he had some interesting observations to make. His connection with shooting competitions goes back past the time when matches were fired at Musselburgh. Needless to say, nnce then he has witnessed great changes irr shooting methods. There is not the same encouragement from the Government to-day, he remarked, as was the case in the early days of shooting. He recalled how at one time the Government paid the expenses of men attending the New Zealand rifle meeting. In those days a trial competition, to enable men to shoot for places in the team of about 20 men to represent the district at the meeting were held, and competitions for places was keen. To-day they were armed with a much superior weapon, but the conditions were made more difficult. The bull's-eye, which at one time had been a 2ft square, was now circular, with a diameter of 20in. The new aperture sight was of great advantage to all snooting men, and especially to mem up in years. In fact, it had given a new lease of shooting life to the older men. His experience of it was that it did away with the haze, made the bull's-eye stand out more distinctly, and seemed to improve the light. It had <n© disadvantage—with it a marksman, was apt to be troubled more with side winds. One great advantage of the present rifle over the old Martini-Henry and the Snider was the minimised recoil. With the older rifles the you.ng shot was so much concerned about the recoil that it was difficult for him to aim with steadiness and precision. The lessened recoil of the new rifle gave him more courage. Rifle-shooti,ng, continued the veteran, is a sport, and he agreed with Captain M'Nab who, speaking at one of the Trentham meetings, referred to rifle-shooting as the king of sports. The man who wanted to become a rifle shot had to live temperately, to avoid liquor, etc., in order _ that he might keep in good physical condition, without which he need not hope to be a succesful marksman. . .. .

His Majesty King George shows a practical interest in the Territorials at Home. At a meeting held recently at Crathie, to encourage recruiting in the Gordon Highlanders (Territorial Force) in Aberdeenshire, Mr John Michie, who presided, announced, on behalf of the King, that every servant on the Balmoral estates who desired to join the Territorials would have 15 days' leave of absence to attend camp without stoppage of civilian pay, and that in the event of extra work requiring attention during the period of training.additional men would be employed. The King's excellent example, unhappily, is not followed bv all employers of' labour at Home, for there is frequently complaint that some firms endeavour to make it a condition with employees that they shall mot ioin the Territorials. In New Zealand, service being obligatory, employers preventing their- men from under going the required training render themselves liable to substantial fines, and no doubt these will be strictly enforced in the ease- of delinquents. It is hoped, and expected, however, that employers will cheerfully shoulder their share of the burden by affording the necessary facilities to men within the age of training.