ASSAULT AT ARMS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1553, 7 September 1886, Page 2

ASSAULT AT ARMS.

Notwithstanding the very wet and sloppy night on Thursday, there was a very good house, indesd better than on Ihe preceding evenin'' - , to witness the assault at arms at Tiina.ru. The programme opened wiili an overture by the Timaru Garrison Baud, , under the leader* ship of Mr Sydney Wolff, and it is needless to say that it was played with their usual taste and finish. The Hand also played several selections during the evening. The second item was the manual exercise, which was excellently gone through by the High School Cadets under Color-Sergeant McKenzie. The infantn sword exorcise by the Timaru Rifles, was j a new feature, and was well Some excellent science was then shown in (he boxing line (heavy weights) by two well-known amateurs. The, Geraldine Rifles, under Sergeant McKenzie next went through the bayonet exercise, first m open order, and then in ranks, both oxer.ises being performed in quick and exceedingly good '-time. This performance drew marked praise from Col, Bailey. The Scotch dancing by four youthful amateurs was very good indeed, and judging by the applause with which (ho performance came to an end, evidently delighted the numerous Highlani rs present. The quarter staff exeiciso wis another new feature, and a very interesting one. It was well gone through by Color Sergeant McKenzie and

Corporal LeCren of 'he High School Cadets. When-we h ve said that Ser-geant-Major Jones was the teacm-r wo hardly need add that the prrformunc.- " a finished one. The performance on the Roman rings and van ting hors p by members of the Cad-ts, under ttm_ le .derehip of the same gen'h man was capital!* ' ..r e. Boxing (light weights) brought the firs part of the programme to a close The second part opened with a selection by tbe Garrison Band. The gun dismounting by the C. Bdt-ry N.Z. Artillery was accomplished under the command of Lieut. Jack son in the qnh-h time of 2g minutes. The mouutmg was doo p m equally fast lime. The next <t p m *as the bayonet exercise by the members of the C. Battery NZ. Artihry. fins completely “ran aw»y with the exorcise, so much so that one man in rear ran lost a “ point” and was never in itaguo Staff-Seugeant-Major Jones- and Mr I Jowsay next came on to have a bout with the basket hilts. Mr Jowsey madefy good stand indeed, but at last the >-erg -- Major proved too maty for him. Hi. next item « as some more Highland dancing, which *vhb v-ciferons'y applauded. Then came Irish dancing by a volunte-., *) go enthusiastically applauded, i u sailors’ hornpipe, by-a well-known ha-uU man, was very good. The Rocket Brig* • e niit came on under Lmnt Jackao-. This performance was most gratit. intr. • All the members engaged showed themselves thoroughly at home in eveiy detail with the breeches, buoy, and rockapparatus throughout. The bngatl have on several occasions of wrecks nn Tim»ru rescued the crews by means os their apparatus. The sword bayon.t exercise ,by the Navals was a spirited performance, but it lacke ms . The-meii had evidently been taught !.- put life into it -.and they did-but some of them in the vigour of their thrust lost their balance, which would not do m actual practice. The tug-of-war between a picked team of Navals and Artillerymen against o picked team composed of the men of the Timnrn Texnuka, and Geraldine Rifles created great fan. The firs time the Rifles pulled their opponents over the line, and had just began to do so again, when about 12 of 14 b av« rushed out to help their comrades. U an instant every rifleman in the dnllshe was pulling at the other end of the top., and the Navals were triumphantly hauled across to the other side of the building. The performance wound up with a gr*m<i mdee. A number of men came in armed with mops filled with flour, I o seemed to be to put ns much flour as possible in the face of every other combatant, and 10 get as little as possible oneself. The general floury St the end of the fight was the best evidence of the vigor with which it had bed. conducted.