VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13575, 6 December 1907, Page 3

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

■ ■ ♦ (By "Scout.*)

SYLLABUS OF INSTRUCTION. Following is the syllabus for the officers' school of instruction to open next Monday at 8 p.m. : — 'December 9th, Monday — Company drill, semaphore squalling and saluting with swords for officers. December lOtli, Tuesday-*— Musketry, correction of errors in aiming, annual conrso of target practice (questions on), battalion movements, semaphore signalling and saluting with swords for officers. December 11th, Wednesday — Field engineering, protection and conventional signs. December 12th, Thursday— 2 p.m., battalion drill, attack and defence, entrenching (elementary) and judging distances; 8 p.m., lecture on afternoon's work. December 13th, Friday — Skirmishing, scouting, semaphore signalling, and saluting with swords. December 14th, Saturday— 2 p.m., musketry and engineering, knotting and lashing; dress drill order: officers, swords und rifles; N.C.O.'s and prirates, rifles and sidp arms: officers and N.C.O.'s of School Cadet Corps may also Httonrl these classes, which will be held in tho Drill Hall. This course of instruction will bo under tho supervision of Captain Brown, Chief Instructor for the North Island, assisted by Staff-Sergeants Major Sanderson (New Plymouth) and Dodd (Waoganui). There was a largo number of members of the Taranaki Rifles at the range yesterday. Class firing was tho principal shooting, though a target was set aside for practice. The conditions were perfect, iud a very good proportion of those firing succeeded in winning the marksman's badge. Tho shooting was under tho supervision of Captain Bellrmger. In practice Corporal Marett made tho fine score of 101—33 at 200, 34 at 500 34 at 600. At 700 yds. he made -31 in a failing light. The now regulation bull'seye and inner were used at 200y,ds. Although the reduction of an inch in iho diameter of the, bull seems very little it is a largo reduction in area. The parado on Sunday promises to bo largely attended. Tho Guards held a personal payment parade yesLerday. There was a good muster. The men were marched to the sand hills beyond Moturoa and exercised in skirmishing and judging distances. The return march fi;om Moturoa was done in record time, the corps averaging a mile in ten minutes. After tea the Company foil in at tho Drill Hall for the annual muster parade, which was also well. attended. At a meeting of the Guard's shooting committee, various proposals' were adopted whfth should havd the effect of greatly increasing the interest in rifle practice. Both companies will bo inspected by Lieut-Colonel Bauchope, C.M.G., tho Officer Commanding tho District, on Thursday next. In a note on the volunteer manoevres tha,t took place at Dunediri last Saturday', th© Daily *'Timees says :&-/j|he chameleon-like adaptability of kttaki'to its surroundings was in evidence at the Lawyer's Head Sandhills where tho First Battalion were at. outposts. Against the yellow of lupin .flowers' a man became a difficult object to aim at. Even against a background of silvery sand the khaki figures viewed, from a distance, might havo been shadows ; whilo elsewhere it was difficult to iell which was sentry and which was withered tussock. Khaki has stood countless tests oi} blistering desort, veldt, and among the' rocks, but one thing it will not' stand, and that Avas also in evidence on Saturday. Clear -gainst the sky a group stood on the summit of a knoll • in silhouette, a perfect target, advei'tisihg far and wide tho presence of all tho others. This exposure was doubtless intentional, but formed, nevertheless, a useful object lesson, which Volunteers would' do well to note for future reference. -