DEFENCE NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 20014, 30 October 1926, Page 10

DEFENCE NOTES

RIFLE MEETINGS AND CAMPS. The annual Army rifle meeting for regimental district No. 12 is to be held at the Otatara rifle range on Saturday, November 13. The programme of events is a comprehensive one including all classes of practice up to 300 yards. An error has been made in the printing of the programme. In match 4 the rapid 10 rounds practice is given as 500 yards. This should read 300 yards. Vickers, Lewis and Hotchkiss gun sections are included in the list of events. The total prize money is £5B 2/-, double that of last year. Competitors are expected from the Milton, Tuatapere . and Lumsden districts. As the local competitors have had use of the full range at Otatara since its opening some time ago, the events should be got off with much more rapidity. The matches are timed to commence at 8.30 a.m. to allow of the provision of extra events. A camp for officers and N.C.O.’s of the Southland Regiment is to be held at the Showgrounds commencing to-day. Thirtysix men are expected to attend. 'The students have been organised into one platoon: Section C, Gore and district; section B, Winton and district; D company, Milton and district and section 4, A Company and .headquarters, Invercargill. Captain E. L. G. Bown will be in command of the camp, the platoon commander being Lieutenant T. Matthews. The work to be carried out consists of instruction in infantry training, musketry and Vickers and Lewis Gun sections. A special feature will be to show those attending the methods of instruction with a view to assisting them in their respective commands at the forthcoming unit camps. The camp will break up on Saturday next November 6. A church parade will take place on Sunday at St. Paul’s Church. The annual church parade for all units held on the Sunday nearest to Armistice day will take place this year on November 7, when the parade will attend divine service at the First Presbyterian Church. The service will be conducted by the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson, C.F. On Friday, November 12, a special halfday parade for C and D. Companies of the Ist Cadet Battalion, Southland Regiment, will be held. On this -occasion the Lady Godley challenge cups won during the past training year will be presented to the crack shots of the various platoons. After the inspection the companies will proceed on a short route march accompanied by the Ist Cadet Battalion Southland Regimental Pipe Band. On Monday last, Captain H. M. Foster, N.Z.S.C., staff officer, inspected the cadets of the Gore High School who formed the guard of honour on the occasion of the visit of the Governor-General to that centre. The company was well turned out and was complimented by his Excellency on its smart appearance and its execution of arms drill movements.