VOLUNTEERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12440, 18 December 1903, Page 3

VOLUNTEERS.

(By Sharpshooter.') It is now some years since a mili-. tury tournament of any pretension has been held in the .North Island, consequently the Volunteer sports gathering at Petone on New Year's Day is exciting considerable interest in volunteer circles. Several corps throughput the T a ranaki district are reported to be in active training so as to be able to have a fair chance of success when pitted against the pick of the provinces . On Wednesday night a sgiiad from the Taranaki liiiies, under the command of Colour-Sergeanr Armitage, put in some solid work at the several competitions to be decided' at the approaching meeting. In the handling of the rifle for the examination of arms, etc., the squad displayed; very even work, whilst ti.cir work on voiley and independent firing* was excellent, the volleys being ivrfeet and the several movements incidental to the exercise carried out with a precisiom that must place them, well up in this particular item in the cotnpeti- j tion. In th« physical drill the work wus also very good, there being only olio or two blemishes noticeable, and these will certainly disappear before the squad, reaches the tournament. The dqu a U consists of eight men and the colour-sergeant, and they should certainly gain a high percentage of points judging by Wednesday night's display. The annual camp of instruction, will be held in January when the two local corps will go under canvas for a week. It is to be hoped that the weather then will be " King's weather," as this week's drill is considered to be of vital importance to the volunteers, as both officers and men are enabled to 'devote more attention and time to the work 'thaa is possible with the ordinary parade. The notice that all intending recruits for a volunteer corps must first pass a medical test will likely cause further difficulty in the way of persuailing members to join. As things $40 at the present time there is a dwided lack of military enthusiasm prevailing throughout the colony, country corps' finding it a difllcuii matter to keep up to the maximum s-treagthf It is not known whether the doctor's fee for examining a recruit comes out of tho present capitation, or whether the Government stands the extra cost. Certainly the capitation allowed at present will not stand much draining for medical fees with companies that have to hire halls for drill purposes and not well oil' in the matter of uniforms. j The Eltham Rifles are offering £1 Is to the member who secures the. most recruits this coming year, whilst a donation of£s 5s to the corps' funds is also promised if , the members are j üblo to bring th& company up to tho j full regulation strength. '