NOTES BY MAGPIE.

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 9, 11 June 1898, Page 5

NOTES BY MAGPIE.

Mr J. Crowther, an ex-champion of the Southland Club, has again taken up the rifle, this time with the Bluff club. If he shoots up to his old form he should recoup the Bluffites to a certain extent for the loss they sustained in the removal of Mr W. B. Montgomery. It is stated that the Government have served out revolvers and ammunition to all volunteers officers. Complaints are made, however, that the revolvers are absolute, and that the ammunition for them was manufactured eighteen years ago. A meeting of the Garrison Ball Committee was held on Friday evening, 3rd inst., when it was decided that the big event should take place on the third Tuesday in July. Sergt O’Toole was appointed chairman of the committee, and Col. Sergt. Crawford secretary, while Corpl. Anthony, Col. Sergt. Hughes, and Sergt.Mai or Walks were elected the M.C’s. for the ball. Sub-committees were also appointed and other preliminaries arranged. I hear there is a talk of endeavouring to obtain capitation for the Southland Pipe Band. This is a very good thing, provided they earn it. Should they attach themselves to a corps, or better still, should they resolve themselves into the nucleus of a new corps of Highland Bifles, and make themselves efficient volunteers I should very much like to see them get the support they desire. The pipe music is decidedly military, or at'least it has the power of stirring up the martial spirit, and there is not a volunteer in Invercargill, I daresay, who would not be proud to march out after the pipers. The Southland Fusiliers paraded on Tuesday night, but owing to the arrangements in progress for the A. and P. Winter Show, they were unable to do much drill. Two recruits were brought before the company and elected members. The ambulance squad put in some useful stretcher drill during the evening before a small crowd of interested spectators. The Guards are well off for trophies just now, and these added to prospective inter-corps matches and other competitions, should make shooting somewhat brisk in the company for some time to come. A novelty has been introduced in volunteering circles in Christchurch by the award of a prize by Major Wolfe of the City Rifles for the most popular man in the corps. A ballot decided for Lance-Corporal Spry. The loyalty of the Maoris is exemplified ” by the following The Premier has received a long letter from Tata Nihoniho of Waipiro Bay, East Coast, urging that, in view of the European trouble, a force of 3000 or 4000 young Maories should be immediately raised and drilled. He says it is his earnest wish to lose his life fighting for our Sovereign Queen. [Magpie also would like to fight for the Queen, but is not so anxious to lose his life over it.] Major Sommerville, Chairman of the New Zealand Rifle Association, has been invited by the Federal Association in Sydney to take over a

team of lady marksmen to compete in a special match.