Volunteer Notes.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 6, 11 August 1909, Page 12

Volunteer Notes.

By

RIFLEMAN.

gUNNER COLEMAN, ot No. 1 Company Garrison Artillery, baa been promoted to the rank of bombardier, A recent “Gazette” contains an intimation of the disbandment of the Northern Wairoa Rifle Club (headquarters at Aratapu), as from July 17. The official decision in connection with the Kirker Cup has come to hand. It Is announced that the cup has been won by No. 1 Company Auckland Garrison Artillery. The Auckland Garrison officers* ball will be held on August 19 in the Drill Hall. The hall is to be decorated on a lavish scale, and all other arrangements are well in hand. The guest list will probably number about 200. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Plunket will be present. As the result of a meeting of officers ot No. 1 Co. G.A.V. at Capt. Knyvett’s residence last week, it has been decided that quarterly prizes will be offered for the best man in each of the following branches: Gunnery, quickfiring, electric lighting, signalling, engine driving, de-pressed-range finding, and bugiiug. Lieut. Pullen, of No. 1 Co. G.A.V., together with -25 members of the company, proceeded last week to North Head and Takapuna. Some good instructional work was put in with the twelve-pounders, and in the laying and signalling branches. On Saturday afternoon the company held a paid daylight parade at North Head. The shooting season of No. 2 Company G.A.V. closed last Saturday week, when the final match for the Company's belt took place, Gunner G. Griffiths winning tho championship with an aggregate of 261 points. Gunner Griffiths was formerly a member of the No. 1 Native Rifles, and in that company he has also held the championship. A recent district order requests officers of companies to forward a list of officers and N.C.O.’s who are willing to attend the class of instruction to be held in August under the supervision of the chief instructor of engineering and signalling services. Officers and N.C.O.’s of engineers and signalling companies onty will receive instruction. A mounted scouts’ competition was held at Putaruru recently for a handsome challenge shield presented by Mr. G. Main, a gold medal and clasp presented by the men of Putaruru, and (as second prize) a gold medal donated by Mr. Burn Murdock. The first prize was won by Pt. R. Groves with 77 points, and the second by Pt. Nickien with 73. A ball was held in the evening in the schoolhouse. I have before me a syllabus of the functions arranged by the Auckland Garrison Non-eommissloned Officers' Club for the months of August, September, and October, 1909. The following are the fixtures: — August 10, lecture: August 21, smoke concert: September 1, progressive euchre; September 9, open night; September 14, lecture; September 25, smoke concert; October 6, progressive euchre: October 14, open night; October 19. lecture; October 30, smoke concert. It is intimated that the smoke concerts will only be continued provided they prove a financial success. It may not be generally known that next month the No. 1 Company G.A.V. (Auckland Navals) will complete its fiftieth year of existence, without a break, under the same name and under the same arm. I understand that it is probable that the occasion will be fittingly celebrated by a big dinner. The company will, it is stated, be the first volunteer corps of the Empire which has had a continuous service of 50 years under the same arm. The members of the A battery recently celebrated their fiftieth anniversary, but for the first five years the "battery” was in existence as a rifle corps. Sunday’s weather must certainly have been very disappointing to the officers who bad taken so much trouble in the extensive preparations for the ceremony of presentation of colours in the Domain. From daylight on it was only too evident that there was no prospect of an outdoor function In the afternoon, and the presentation in the church was witnessed by a gathering which assembled under not very comfortable circumstances, in wet boots and clothes. The ceremony was an impressive one, and the details were watched with close attention by the large congregation of some hundreds. Lleut.-Col. Wolfe, 0.C.D., has approved of the following honorary acting appointments: Alfred Edward Kretschmar, to be hon. acting lieutenant In the Eden Defence Cadets: William Edward Jones, to be hon. ’acting-lieutenant in the Eden Defence Cadets; John Mlntern Pauli, to be hon. nctlng-lleutenant lu the Hamilton Defence Cadets: Selwyn Onslow Dickey, to be hon. acting-lieutenant in the Devouport Cadets; Samuel Jackson TTanna, to be acting hon. lieutenant in the St. John’s College Defence Cadets; Charles Richardson Hobbs, to be hon. acting-lieutenant lu the St. John’* College Defence Cadete.

A general order Intimates that Mr. James Ewan. Smith has been appointed captain in the New Zealand militia as from June 29. The following appointments, with dates, are also notified: Benonl Nimme Sandllands, lieutenant, Tauranga Mounted Rifle Volunteers, 28th March, 1809; Lieutenant Bruce Sommervelie Hay, acting-cap-tain, No. 3 Squadron Waikato Mounted Rifle Volunteers, 3rd April, 1909; Charles Willis Coles, acting-lieutenant, No. 2 Company, Auckland Division, New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers; 17th May, 1909; Lieutenant Marshall Nicholson Atkinson, aetinglcaptaln, No. 1 Company, New Zealand Native Rifle Volunteers; 17th May, 1909; Francis C. C. Webster, acting-lieu-tenant, Waiuku Mounted Rifle Volunteers, 11th June, 1909. The following volunteers (says a district order issued by Lieut.-Colonel Wolfe, 0.C.D.), have qualified for certificates:—J. Hamilton and C. Given, Piako M.R. Volunteers, for sergeant; H. C. Jensen and D. Hill, Wbangarei Rifle Volunteers, for sergeant; Win. Climo and Wm. Williams, Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, for sergeant; A. J. Dillamore and G. T. Morrison, Thames Rifle Volunteers, for sergeant; Chas. E. Bush, Ed. Harold, A. J. Melgren, J. R. Macdonald Thames Rifle Volunteers, for corporal- w’ J. McNeice and A. M. Harold, Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, for corporal; H. H. Clarke, Marsden .M.R. Volunteers, for corporal; 8. S. A. Meiklejohn, Bay of Islands M.R. for sergeant; W. L. Huband and A. S. McCarroll, Otamatea Mounted Rifles, for sergeantand M. Muir, Otamatea Mounted Rifles for corporal. The art of reconnaissance is now forming an important part of the training in field artillery work, and, in the latent circular issued by the Chief Instructor of Artillery, ** is suggested that several simple schemes of this nature should, from time to time, be given to exercise the specialists in obtaining sketches and reports of certain localities. These could (the circular continues) be held during the men’s spare time, and the papers would be forwarded to the chief instructor for criticism and record. The officers of the A Battery are, accordingly, formulating a scheme whereby the specialists may be taken out to some suitable spot in the environs of Auckland where the signallers and range-takers may find scope for training. It is intended by the Battery officers to apply to the Government for a grant to enable them to take the guns out on the same occasion, in order that the men may also have training in fire discipline. So far, the great obstacle in this direction has been the cost of horsehire, necessitated by the lack of a permanent stable in connection with the forces in this city. It should be noted that the plan of the Battery is one which need not necessarily be confined to artillery corps, and would probab’y prove invaluable to other companies. Lieuts. Morton and Burgess, of the A Ba'ttery, proceeded to Panmure the other day with a view to ascertaining if there were any suitable sites in that direction for the purpose indicated. SILVER CHALLENGE SHIELD. Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Company, of Auckland, have presented a silver Challenge shield as a trophy to be competed for from time to time by squadrons of the Ist Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles, upon and subject to certain conditions, which are outlined in a recent, general order: The trophy Is to be known as “The L. D. Nathan and Company (Limited) Challenge Shield of the Ist Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifle Volunteers.'’ it is to bfe competed for annually, and canuot be won outright. The date of the annual competition Is 'to be fixed by th e officer-com-manding the regiment, and announced to the regiment not less than six weeks beforehand, but the officer-commanding the regiment may postpone the competition for such time as he thinks fit, without allowing a fresh period of six weeks to elapse. The first competition is to be held at the headquarters of the regiment, and each subsequent competition at the headquarters of the winners of the last preceding competition. Each squadron to be represented by a team of not less than twelve men. All competitors are to fire while holding their horses, and competitors are to parade and compete in “drill order. - ’ Magazines of rifles are not to be used during the competition, and the horses used by competitors are to have been used for parade purposes for not less than three months prior to competition. The target shall be 8 feet by 8 feet, with an enemy on horseback depicted thereon. Boints will be awarded for hits, time, judging distance, and dress. There will be three firing-points fixed, to the approval of the officer-commanding the regiment. Ten rounds will be fired as follows:—(L> On the order from umpire to start from a point about 1000 yards from target, each, competitor will in turn gallop to the first firing point and fire three rounds; (II.) Then gallop to the second firing-point and fire three rounds; (ill.) then gallop to the third firing-point and fire four rounds. A competitor will be disqualified If he fires more than the specified number of rounds at any point. A misfire should be brought to the notice of the umpire at the firing-point at once, and the round will be changed. No allowance will be made for a misfire reported afterwards. Competitors on return for inspection at starting-point must have their rifles unloaded, or they will be penalised. The winning squadron shall be (he one whose team average the highest net aggregate total points for judging dress, time, and shooting. u