H.—l9

8

During the past year the whole of the Q.F. shooting (excepting at Lvttelton) has been carried out by night. The Chief Instructor of Artillery has visited each centre during the training season, in order to insure uniformity of system and drill. The training-camps have been held under similar conditions to previous years—i.e., each company holding a company training-camp, but no Brigade camps have been held. It is proposed that company camps be abolished, and that in future all companies of a district undergo annual training in camp at the same time, in order that battle practice may be carried out and defence schemes rehearsed, and Staff Officers thereby get an opportunity of learning their duties. At present far more attention is devoted to company service practice than to battle practice. If, however, brigade camps were held in place of company camps, battle practice would receive the consideration due to its importance. Under the new scheme, the establishment Artillery companies has been reduced to 100, the previous establishment of 156 having been found too large to efficiently train, with the limited material available. There has been a considerable change in the personnel of the officers during the'past year, but their keenness and desire to learn their duties is beyond all praise. The N.C.O.s are not, on the whole, such good Instructors as they might be, owing to the work of training the men, which the 'special'duty of[*the company N.C.O.s, being carried out by R.N.Z.A. Instructors. The efficiency and shooting records of each company is shown by the following tables :—

Return showing Standard of Efficiency of the N.Z.G.A. for the Year 1909-10.

Table A.— Results of Coast Artillery Practice for the Year 1909-10.

District a ce P< a o J_l a a •o a 0 • a ■ °a | 60 .9 *& ft I H W) a a 4* o so .2 9 (3 ' h a o •8 I f p> S 5 O xi a | r M Pi > r Y fl "be pa a 3 b O (U ft la o J OS H o o „ o 3 CM © ° a « '8 a eg f No. 1 Auckland \ No. 2 { No. 3 ( No. 1 Wellington \ *No. 2 I fNo. 3 Canterbury | N 2 „, f No. 1 Otago | No> 2 Westport .. No. 1 46-0 47-0 40-0 42-0 35-0 61-2 | 74-5 75-2I 87-7 62-3 84-4 82-0 84-5 90-8i 95-6 92-0 93-6 89-0 90-0 96-0 I 89-8 | 3-0 95-7: 4-5 96-1 j 3-9 93-0; 4-3 89-7 3-8 85 90 75 90 90 46-0 45-0 25-0 45-0 49-5 63 82 '78 87 99 50-0 50-0 50-0 50-0 39-0 53-7 31-8 38-1 31-4 13-0 32-30 l 24 81-4 86-5 76-0 88-4 91-1 2nd 3rd N.C. 1st 1st " A." " B." " C." " A." " A." ! i7 66 35-0 40-0 40-0 44-0 35-5 85-0! 94-4 88-4! 95-2 85-0 92-1 86-0 90-0 J 79-8 .. j 84-0 93-6 89-0 85-0 80-0 89-0 3-5 93-0 4-0 93-0 3-75 97-3 i 3-5 89-7 4-3 95 ! 93 85 49-0 40-0 | 35-0 43-0 50-0 79 84 68 70 80 50-0 39-2 50-0 50-0 40-0 32-8 15-6 I 46-8 45-2 29 I 28 30 : 44 33 87-9 84-0 85-7 86-8 82-7 1st 1st 1st 1st N.C. " A." " A." " A." " A." " B." l_ I * Awarded Challenge Shielc d for highest si landard 1 of efficiency tor 191 19-10. t Tganizi ;d for eleotrie-li ightinj ; duties only.

Company. Division. Company Commander. 6 in. 8 in. 6-pr. B.L. B.L. Q.F. Figure of Merit. 12-pr. m≤ Q.F. hs be ll III |i ! p H h 3 [ R No. 1 Canterbury .. Capt. Gill .. 1-307 1-029 0-857 1-196 0-972 1 121 1st 1st No. 2 Otago Major Dodds . . .. .. I 1-021 1-021 1-021 1st 2nd No. 2 Wellington Capt, Ellis .. 1-010 .. j 1-010 1-010 1st 3rd No. 2 Canterbury .. Capt, Rattray .. j 0-934 Nil ! 0-900 0-934 0-900 0-922 1st 4th No. 1 Otago IB * ■ T"» 1» ■« . j*v ■« -m n n r* Major Frederic 1-013 .. j 0-666 Capt, Somerville. j 0-745 0-678 I 1-123 1-011 0-666 0-896 1st 5th No. 1 Wellington 0-536 0-711 0-927 0-716 1st 6th No. 1 Auckland Capt. Greenhough i 0-497 .. I 0-811 .. J 0-497 0-811 0-601 2nd 7th No. 2 Auckland Capt. Potter .. .. 0-507 j 0-584 Nil 0-507 0-584 0-532 3rd 8th No. 3 Auckland Capt, Morran .. 0-374 .. 0-546 0-374 0-546 0-431 N.C. 9th No. 1 Westport Capt. Cottrell .. . . .. I 0-043 0-507 0-351 0-351 N.C 10th