Gossip Volunteer

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 521, 15 December 1888, Page 12

Gossip Volunteer

By Hipleman.

— The Te Awaroutu Cavalry percentage at volley and independent firing is 34.59. — Colonel Hume after inspecting volunteer corps does not make a rule of addressing the j men. j — Colonel Hume is now in Auckland conducting the annual inspection of the volunteer i'orce3 —The Wangauni City Rifles average at volley and independent firing is oS-IS, a very good result. — Mr Gresimzn, a volunteer of thirty years' standing, has recently been elected a lientenant of the Te Awamutu Cavalry. According to a Southern exchange, when Lieutenant Colonel Lean retires from the command of the Canterbury district, Mayor Webb of Nelson -who is one of the smartest officers in the force will be ordered to Christchurch as Commandant. — The following are the averages of the H.B. corps in volley and independent firing : — Napier Artillery, 29 1i ; Hastings Rifles, 22-50; Napier Navals,, 1918; Woodville Rifles, 1939. These figures will show the Wanganui Rifles what they have lost by not all turning up. — The most noticeable charges in the new volunteer regulations are as follows : — Only officers who have served seven years as commissioned officers are eligible for field rank. When so promoted the oifieer must resign command of a corps. Commissions to date fram day of passing examination, and candidates must notify their desire to he examined within six months of election to rank. Candidates for commissions in the Volunteer Force are eligible at the following ages. Naval Artillery— Lieutenant, 21 years and upwards ; Sub-lieutenant, 18 years and upwards. Naval Cadets, 14 years and upwards. Other branches, captain. 21 years, lieutenant, IS years. Officers of naval artillery, mounted infantry, artillery, and. engineers will be allowed nine months to qualify for their respective examinations. The ' qualification for capitation to rifles is :— Six daylight battalion drills, at which not Jess than twothirds of the strength of the corps must be present, exclusive of officers ; eight company and squad drills, at which half of the strength of the corps must be present, exe'usive of officers. Each Volunteer must also have gone through class firing. The services of cadet corps will in future only be accepted in connection with public and private schools, provided that no less than 40 lads over 13 years of age are enrolled. The officers of cadet corps will only receive acting appointments. The regulations come into force at the new year. -r-In the Team Mateh — New Zealand v. Victoria — McCarthy, of Dunedin, topped the list with 91, the ranges being 400, 500, and COO yards, 7 shots at each ; military position, which in Victoria ueans sitting at 400 yds. The total was , 1608, made up as follows :— 603 at 400, 531 at 500; and 474 at 600 yards. The following were the full scores of the New Zealanders : —

400 500 6CO Tl. Sergt. McCarthy, Duneain ... 34 81 26—91 Private -T. Hutchinson 31 30 29—90 Sergeant, Keinpshell 28 31 28-87 Lieutenant Rosa 31 27 28 — 86 Sergeant Frederic 32 27 26—85 Captain Cooper 31 30 24—85 . Private Ballinger 30 23 26—81 PrivatoEoat 31 28 25—84 Gunner Weir 32 26 24—82 Captain Skinner 26 27 28—81 Sergt. McCarthy, Auckland ... 33 23 24—80 Sergeant Kuehen 29 28 22—79 Major Acheson 33 30 18—79 Private/. Dixon 25 21 31 — 77 Private" Wilson 31 24 22—77 Captain PJy^er 29 27 20—76 Sergeant Williams 32 24 19—75 Private Richardson... 28 24 22—74 Private Lumsden . 29 24 20—73 Trooper W. T. Watt 28 21 14-63