THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3033, 1 May 1912, Page 6

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentet,

[ltems of interest concerning corps (town i and country), shooting, and defence matters generally will be accepted. Copy, addressed , to “ Sentry,” should bo in band by noon on : Thursday.] Captain Smith, of the No. 2 Company Field Engineers, has handed in ms re " ■ signation. . T ‘ An officer of the Japanese Imperial Army, Major Asa da, who fought as company commander at the battle of Mukden, spent the past week-end in Dunedin, travelling on April 22 with Colonel Allen to Invercargill to catch the Australian boat. His impressions of New Zealand are not available. The undermentioned ac'6 listed m ggneral orders as having qualified by examination for the rank indicated : Major G. W. C. Macdonald, T.D. (sth •Mounted Regiment), and Major Ross (New Zealand Engineers) to be lieut.eolonel; Captain D. B. M'Kenzie (7th Mounted Rifles), Captain J. S. N. Searle (10th Regiment), to be major; second lieutenant T. A. Davidson .(Bth Regiment), A. Hoggans (14th Regiment), M. J. Morrison (14th Regiment) to be lieutenants. _ * The appointment of the following for service with the Senior Cadets is gazetted :—Lieutenants —R. C. Moore, S. G. ; Smith, P. Braitfiwaite, H. C. Mackenzie, T. G. Robertson, O. V. Davies; second lieutenants—C. H. F. Statbam, R. P. Boyne, H. N. Wayfnouth, H. A. Callander, H. L. Richards. I. S. Orbell, N. Cook, F. L. Hunt, G. E. Waite, C. , R. Sargood, R. M. Watson, W. J. Bevis, ■ R. Turnbull, F. D. Maurice. H. W. O. ! Slater.

Fines of 10s each have been imposed upon eight members of the 4th Regiment for failure to attend parade. Five of the Cadets to form the New Zealand contingent for Canada will be chosen from Otago. Officers commanding Senior Cadet companies throughout Otago have been invited to send in to the Defence Office, Dunedin, before May 4, the names of Cadets they wish to recommend, with full details concerning the candidates. The final selection of the five will be made at the Otago headquarters. The Ocean Beach had quite a military air on Satureay, April 20, when No. 2 Company Field* Engineers mustered for a half-day parade. A useful programme was carried out. the work including field geometry and the construction of standing and sitting fne trenches. Another half-day parade will be held on Slay 4. Reports from the ambulance camp at Waitati speak of a busy period of training, profitable, and pleasant. The defection of a civilian cook on the .day of the men’s arrival was an unhappy introduction to camp life for men with healthy appetities, but the officers repaired the misadventure as early as i possible by a prompt use of the telephone, another cook arriving from Dunedin by a later train the same day. Next year all troops will be expected to provide cooks from their own ranks, and tlmse being under discipline, the not infrequent vagaries of independent civilian cooks will no longer menace the comfort and contentment of the soldiers. • The 14th Regiment (South Otogo Rifles) trees into camn from May 1 to Mav 9. Tim camp will be located 2-1 miles from Milton. Lient.-colonel M'Clymont. officer command.!no. the regiment, will b" in charge, with. Cants in Henderson as adjutant. Contain Moore ond eight serpts.major from the staff will assist in the training. The Revs. Bns'h-Kinsr and Smell will be in camn as chaplains. The C.E.M .S. will establish its regimenfol institute. It is intended to have the marquees lighted with acetylene gas. All men not previously supplied with uniforms will be eauipped at the camp. The gathering in of the troops from/‘the ends of the earth.” as it were, will involve the use of. the Clutha River steam -service, ooochec. and trains. Tho annual training of the 12th

(Otago) Mounted Regiment will follow at Balclutha rfom the 10th May, Preparations are well in hand for the annual training camp of the sth Regiment Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars), to be held at Black Bridge from May 18 to 26. The troops have to be gathered in from a wide area, embracing Oamaru, Allanton. Clyde. An advance party from each squadron, under the squadron quartermaster-sergeant, will report to the quartermaster at- 8.30 on the 18th inet. at Wingatui railway station, for the purpose of pitching camp. Squadron commanders will engage their own cooks (one cook and assistant), the cooks will accompany the advance parties, and must have a hot meal ready for the men when they arrive in camp. Squadron commanders will, as far as possible, organise their squadrons in permanent troops and fours before camp- They will also make provisional appointments to bring their N.C.O.’s up to the establishment. A “dry” canteen will be arranged for, where ten, mineral waters, tobacco, etc., can be obtained. The men living at Waitati Purakanui, Port Chalmers, Ravensbourne, suburbs, and city of Dunedin will parade at the Garrison Hall, Dunedin, at 2 p.m. on the 18th May. All their kits must be at the same place not later than 1.30. Men from Outrain. Mosgiel, Green Island, Abbotsford, Allanton, Lee Stream, Hindon will parade at the Wingatui railway station, 10 a.m. Men from Dnnback will march to Palmerston. Over 80 men who were unable to put in their training with their own regiments shared in the work at the encampment of the 10th Regiment at Oamaru. These men were gathered from all over Otago. Captain Moller, than whom no keener officer has been given to the present forces by the Volunteers, went to Oamaru in charge of the Dunedin section of these details, and was placed in command of this large company of “ casuals.”’ As an illustration of his enthusiasm it may be mentioned that he came back to Dunedin on the Monday to attend the usual parade of his own company, and straightway returned to Oamaru to resume command of his “ casuals.” These same “ casuals returned from the Oamaru camp with what has now become the expected report —i.e., that it was first rate, and that they would be pleased to go through it again at any time. It may be' taken for granted that the politeness of the well-wishing Territorial who thus excused himself to his commanding officer for non-attendance at a parade was received with scant appreciation :—“Please excuse me from the parade on Saturday afternoon as I shall be playing football. Wishing the parade every success, I am, etc.” ! The department has issued in pamphlet form a comprehensive report upon the examination of officers in November last. In the course of the report (which includes maps, and should be read with profit by all officers), the Director of Military Training says: “ The results of this examination are, on the whole, fairly good when it is considered that it is the first examination held under a new system This examination was carried out on the same lines as those held for officers of the regular army. Those candidates who failed to qualify for promotion, either partially or wholly, must not be discouraged. If they study the remarks of the several examiners they may discover in what it was that their errors lay. The reports of the examiners are meant to assist candidates in future in avoiding certain mistakes that are always made, and in gaining instruction from the criticism on the work generally. Officers must pay more attention to the study of maps and map-reading. It is unfortunate that there are no maps—that is, military maps—of the Dominion at present; but for the purpose of study any maps with contours or forin-liriles drawi on them answer the purpose. It is hoped that before long such maps will be produced to assist officers in mapreading.’’