OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10966, 4 June 1903, Page 2

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Notes by " Cordite/*

As far "as I am able to ascertain, the- highest score yet obtained for the Government gold medals is il2 points, which has been put up by a South Is.ander, as against Auckland 104, Wanganui 108, PaCea 108. It seems to me thcit the otiicerH 111 charge of the shooting affairs for the Government gold medals made a big mistake in not allowing the officers commanding companies to compete for these medals, as was suggested since last year's firing. Why Bhould they not? An olficer slioula be miobi proficient in the use of firearms, and a good shot; and I have no hesitation in saying that an officer who is not a good shot, and one who does not understand the iifle, is not ha}f the man to the one who can handle the rifle as well as his sword. Apart from this, it. seems absurd that an ofiicer should be barred from shooting. He, tlie same a? his men, is a mere volunteer, and when a medal or trophy is to be fired for he should be allowed the same privileges as his men. Of course, there is this to be said in defence of their action,* ■ that in this respect most officers are men in gpod positions and can afford to- spend more money than a private who is dnly .earning, a fair wage, and is thus enabled to indulge in more practice. To dd"»way . wi"tk this grievance, the officers should petition the department to grant another " medal to be competed for by officers only.' The committee of the-Imh Rifles wrand military social and dance are working very hard to ensure a success. Everything so far points to a successful affair, and I -avp no doubt that it will be one of the best functions of the season. As it i& a pure military entertainment, Volunteers will appear •in full dress. The manY friends, of Trooper H. .Taylor, who was a member of the Fourth Contingent, will regret to hear of his death at Eltham. He was accorded a military funeral, which was largely attended, four of the Tenth Contingent acting as pall-bear-era. To his relations and friends I tender the deep and sincere sympathy of the returned men of our district. Owin^ to the wprks being so busy, the Castlecliff Rifles have not done much drill lately. There is every likelihood of the Castlecliff boys* holding a big. -social soon. Should they do so, I feel sure the town Volunteer will roll up in good numbers... I have to thank the secretaries of the Wanganui Guards and Irish Rifles respectively; for their parade cards for this month. Tuesday, 9th, is battalion parade night, and I hope to see a-Jarge muster of all corps. The orderlies for the guards for this" month are Sergt. Ey-ans and Corpl. Barraclough, and for the Irish Rifles Sergt. Loftus and Corpl. A'heri;, , It is time that tliQjpfiicefs woke up some of their recruits tpVt-lje fact that rporuit drill takes place every" Thursday night. I notice that in several otlrer towns the officers of tlve battalions have formed an Officers' Club. Why not Wanganui? At their gatherings they discuss the positions, drills, etc.. and on tjie whole seem to gain a great deal of useful information from each other, besides which should prevail, in all things of this sort, good fellowship berwopn thp corps. ; I hear there are one or two names mpntioned as likely to he»nut .before, the Castleoliff Rifles for the position of Lieutenant. No doubt the corps should have one. as it is neoessarv in' the absence of the captain for a mmmissioiied officer to take charge. •The many friends of Mr Armstrong, lieutenant of the Highlanders, who has o-ivpii nn school-teaohitTT to follow the lino of book-keeping, will join me in wishing him stieocss in h's new* position. A well-known riflp pliot, accompanied by two or three companions, was out gameshootinc — or, rather, game-missing; — the other day, and returned after a tramp over .five difff-ent farms, where "ime was abundant, with one kingfisher I suppose it wip the gun ! Must have been ! Because lm two coirnnnions had big bigs; or was' it sitting down and resting. too much, or the strength of the "mountain dew?" In ppPMking of Volunteers in gpy^ral. Lord Mpthuen roppntly made the following rpmark*! — "Wl'nt thp Arniv needs .i r quality, not quantity. Bfhind a small regular Aim w wo uepdM n large Army of Vpimanry, MMit : a, ami Volunteers. Thp Volunteers h*vd hpoix ■ "humbugged" about a great many things, but tJierp was o*l ♦» thing ]. tIiPV onnld not bp "humbnoro-pr?" .about, a^id that was. the defence of their country." v ' The terms aurl conditions of thp prize firing for ca/ipts have- now been dawn up by the organising officer, Maior Loveday, and embodied ii a. circular i«"ued to Hip officers ronmt an ding 'corps. The. circular sa-^«: — "With a view in pneon "aging thp cadets to become good shots, tlie Govern-

mcnt has decided that the target' practice for 1903 shall be carried out as laid down. Marksmen's badges will be awarded as follows:-^!.) To every cadet making over 63 points shall be issued a marksman's badge m yellow worste i, to be worn on the left wrist ; (2) to tJio cadet making the highest score in the company or detachment, a badge in #old embroidery ; and (o) to the : cadft making the highest score in his education district a silver medal, to be worn on his right breast. It has also bce-n arranged that a challenge shield match for each Island shall be fired annually at the local ranges of the several corps at a date to be fixed hereafter, each team to consist of ten cadets, ranges, position, etc., as' laid down in target nnctice for 1903. The tt>ams making Hip highest scores shall hold the shield for the North and South • Island respectively. The names 1 ' of the winning corps, the year," and the total seore3 will be engraved^ on the shields;, and each winning* team shall hold. •, the shield till the result of the following year's competition iR decided." '•• ' *: The following will no doubt interest a number of my readers and "I feel s\ire that' the action of the Attorney-General will he " upheld by all, as for the word of a "Boer TPhel to be accepted against that of a British officer is, •in my opinion, notto be thought of and a &lur on our noble defenders: — , ; A NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN IN . . TROUBLE. Recently news cnine to the colony of the arrest a^id imprisonment at Cape Town of ' an ex TaraiuiJfi farmer, Captain G. H. Walker, D.5.0., who served during the South African campaign with the Fourth Contingent. Lieutenant Barrett was also arrested with Captain Walker. A special telegram sent from East L union to the Cape Argus, under date April 22, gives interesting details of the case. It appears that in April, 1902, Captain Walker was in command of a squadron of Colonial Light Horse operating in Fraserburg district. Acting on orders from Maior Brock, R.H.A., who was i«i charge of the column. Walker visited an alleged reljel farm, Klipkraal, belonging to a fam ; ly_ named Sieherhagen, and in the course- of a search a sum of money was*, fni^nd, amounting, according .tn M><* Siebcrhagen's, statement, to <£14(). Walker took charge of the ■ money in the presence of Barrett, who was 1 Major Brock's .staff-offi--cei\ On the following day ~Mva Sieberhagen complained to Brock -that her .money was. gone, amounting to j}3ol. Some time after a claim waa received by Brock for £301 for cash taken. A written statement on the subiect was made to Major Morgan, Administrator of Area No. 9, which was evidently satisfactory, as that officer reppmmendod that a claim should, be referred to thfc Communion. Seven months after the incident ha-'l occurred, and four mou,tl\s after peace waf signed, Walker and Barrett, were arrested in Capn Town on a warrant issued, by the Resident Magistrate at Frrserbure, an affidavit having been riiadf* by. one of the Sie-berhagen-family. Walkor wn* ill in bed ', but nevfftheleps was take}) off to' Boeland Street Gaol. The treatipjut bf^lhe prisoners in gaol, it appears >vas BOvSrandalons that tb" nmtteV w^s ventilated in the 1 . Press. . The Despatch, in concluding a report of the case, called for aTarliamentary inquiry, since the 2arpestsp were made on the evidence'-of rebel's, tainted evidence to begin with, on which, the Resident Magistrate of Fraserburg unable to found a case. The Attorney-General subsequently refused to indict since the ovt--dence . was contradictory and unsatisfactory in the extreme. , . i ,

For Influenza and' Cold in-tliellead. takt Woods' Great Peppermint Cure,' Is 6d and ?r (U\: ' ' ' ' - , -