Volunteer Intelligence.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2954, 28 November 1900, Page 4

Volunteer Intelligence.

The City Rifles mustered strongly for their second competition in volley firing on Monday evening. Sergeant North’s section gave a very fine exhibition of fire discipline, and although it included one 01 two weak shots, the all-round steadiness o! the men enabled them to put on an average of 20.20. The other sections did not do so well as on previous occasions, but this was entirely the fault of the men nob controlling their fire. The almost all-absorbing topic of interest among the town Volunteers is the coining “ camp,” and it is being looked forward to especially as likely to give a distinct fillip to volunteering generally. At present, thanks perhaps in a great measure to the warlike times we live in, volunteering is decidedly popular, and the flower of the youth and manhood of Timaru take a delight in their work, whether it be gone through in the modern khaki or the

old-fashioned blue. To-morrow evening at half-past 7 o’clock the camp,‘which is to be located in Smithson’s paddock, near Caroline Bay, and facing Wai-iti road, is expected to be a scene of the greatest activity. 1 The spot has been chosen, not for its picturesqueness or comfort, but so that the fine drill ground which the bay makes can be fully utilised. Floating targets are being prepared, and will be anchored out at certain distances These will form an imaginary enemy, entrenched, laagered, or behind a kopje, as fancy pleases, and will be fired upon with ball cartridge. For the latter reason the public will be duly cautioned about going' on the beach between 7 and 8 p.m., as ; during this hour field-firing into the bay with ball cartridge will be in full swing. The terraces near the bay, however, will make a splendid gallery from which the manoeuvres and shooting can be fully seen. Captain J. L. Gillies will command the camp, and orders will be issued on the following lines, as indicated by LieutenantColonel Moore, Commander of the South Canterbury Battalion: —Every man will require to sleep at the camp; reveille will be sounded at 6 a.m. daily; each company will parade for a short drill in the morning, going through the bayonet exercise and physical drill; the staff drill instructor, Sergeant-Major Jones, will give special attention to the raw material, the recruits; breakfast at 7.15 a.m.; tea at 6.15 p.m.; companies fall in at 6.46 p.m. for entrenching and field firing. The practical work will embrace attack practice with casualties, guard-mounting, outpost and patrol work. The drill instructor will take an officers’ preparatory class at 9 p.m., and the senior officers and Ser-geant-Major Bradley will theoretically instruct the non-commissioned officers in various ways, special attention 4 being directed to guard and sentry work. The officers hope to have the hearty co-opera-tion of their non-coms, and men, so that the camp will be a thorough success in every way.