VOLUNTEER NOTES

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 14 October 1908, Page 9

VOLUNTEER NOTES

(By

RIFLEMAN.)

To-day and on Saturday next the Victorian Rifles lire the second stage of the company belt, 10 shots at 500 and 600 yrs.

The Non-Commissioned Officers’ Club entertained Lieut. F. H. Jackson at a complimentary social in the club-room.

E\ery garrison artillery company in the Dominion b.as been graded “A” for efficiency, and eight of the ten companies have obtained a lirst-ciass figure of merit for shooting.

The following non-com. officers of the No. 1 Natives (Capt. A. Coutts) were successful in passing their sergeant’s examination— Lanee-Sergt. Neely, Lanee-Corpe. A. Contain and C. Thompson.

At the annual inspection of the A squad ron, 2nd Regt. A.M.R., Col. Bell pres need the long service medal to Capt. J. J. Raynes. On the same occasion Sergt. D. Bruce was elected lieutenant of the Kara tn u troop of the squadron.

At the recent annual inspection of the Hamilton MLR. there was a record muster of the squadron, 56 of all ranks being on parade. This is claimed as a record not only for the regiment, but also for the Auckland province.

Tlie annual shooting match, Clevedon ▼. Victoria Rifles, will take place at Clevedon on Labour Day. The Vics will take up * very strong team, they having over 60 members to select from. Captains Shaw and Skinner, ex O.C.’s of the corps, will take part in the match.

The proposal that volunteers should have the privilege of a fortnight’s free travelling ever the railway lines every year, irrespective of free passes, to enable them to attend camps, has not found favour with the Defence Department on account of its manifold difficulties. There are 11,000 volunteers capitated in the Dominion, and the number is altogether too large to enable the concession asked for to be granted. In addition to volunteers being granted free passes to attend camp meetings, is is pointed out that free passes are also granted lor attendance at shooting matches not more than 100 miles distant.

The deed of gift of the Auckland Challenge Cup, presented to the American fleet, which deed has been drawn up by CoL Reed, provides that the cup shall always remain in the Ai»iv:.eair navy, whether won or not. It is open to any naval or land force, of any nation, to challenge the defenders to a small-arms match, and the results will be recorded on the cup. The individual posses sion will be settled by the results of each match, the enp being held on the ship of the man who i.i *he last match fired scores the best points. The cup remains in the Atlantic fleet till they get back to America, ■after which It will be devoted to any purpose Che Admiral Commander-in-chief shall decide.

The officers appointed to the proposed new corps of Dominion Scouts in Wellington are: Captain >. G. VA Dalrymple, late HHb N.Z. Contingent, to be officer commanding; Captain T. J. Gtnliuer, late 4th N.Z. Contingent, supernumerary officer; Surgeon-Major Wallace Mackenzie, medical officer; the Rev. D. C. Bates, chaplain; Sergt. Cecil Brown, late 4th N.Z. Contingent, and Messrs. Audrey Houston and Alt. Berry, temporary lieutenants. These officers will take the management of the corps during the registration. In connection with this corps, a club of ex-soldiers, who need not necessarily bn ir. embers of the Dominion Scouts, las been formed.

From the Inspector-General** report: “As regards readiness for war, 1 consider that the garrison artillery are, and will always be, much better prepared than any other branch, and the efficiency of he men they have is steadily progressing. With regard to the numbers necessary, however, the state of things Is not nearly so satisfactory, the establishment laid down as accessary to man the forts being 100 H, while the enrolled strength at the end of the past volunteer year was only 975. or KO per r«r.t. This would not provide reliefs to enable the work to be carried on in war-time, and untrained men taken on «t the last momcn* would be practically useless.'*

The trophies won in the recent M,un*c4 Scouts’ campetition of the llanii'tov M.K. were presented at 'no annual inspection. Corporal Steele won tne challenge <up presented by Mr. J. Montgomery, and the accompanying gold medal. Sergt. Kanstead. who won the cup last year, got second place, for which he received a gold medal. After the inspect on the squadron competed for a medal presented by Mr. 11. 11. Howden, the conditions being unique. They were that of the men who started with a bull's eye, he who kept on the bull the loagest should be declared the winner. Tae shooting was at oOOyds at an IStn bill's eye. After the third shot only Sergt. Melville and Cp>. Steele were left firing; but the next shot saw Cpl. Steele away from Che mark, and Sergt. Melville following ou with another bull, won.