VOLUNTEER NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 4, 26 January 1910, Page 11

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

(By

Rifleman.)

Officers and men are wouaerinff what the programme is to be for the visit of lx>rd Kitchener, but so far nothing official has been announced. The officers of the Auckland Garrison met the O.C.D. on Friday night to discuss the matter. At the last Inspection parade of the Eden Cadets Private Joy nt was presented with a silver medal and pair of sleeve links, donated by Mr. Bullen, for shooting at Penrose. Corporal Flynn won the second trophy—half a dozen silver spoons, presented by Lieut. Rhodes. Major Barclay. Deputy Commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in New Zealand, has been advised that the regulations governing the medical scheme in connection with the internal defence of the Dominion will be placed in the hands of the Brigade authorities before l»eing finally agreed to in order that the Brigade authorities may make suggestions as to alterations or the insertion of additional regulations. The men of the No. 3 Company Auckland Garrison Artillery Volunteers, who went Into camp at Fort Takapuna on Friday, have now settled down to work with a will, and are busy preparing for the tiring which takes place next week. To equal last year’s record will require some goo<l shooting, but when the numbers go up it will probably be found that the keen No. Three’s have still retained the Kirker Cup, and probably added something to the honours roll. The immense superiority of the targets Installed at the local range over the revolving ones at Wanganui and Auckland was very clearly demonstrated at the late meetings isays the Taranaki ••Herald”). At Wanganui men had to hang on to the lower part of the targets to keep them anything like plumb or steady, ami even then some of the targets mistook themselves for aeroplanes, and wandered off the poeitft to immediate destruction. At Auckland, though the targets were not so bad, men had at times great difficulty in keeping them plumb. , . • A splendid combination” Is the Sydney “Morning Herald’s” description of the New South Wales rifle team which is to visit New Zealand. The names and ranks of the team are as follow: —A. Cutler, 8. A. Kefford (Bethurwt), W. J. Ibggott (1 raniway t. W. J a col m (Albury), W. H. < utler IA.R.R.) Private W. Draper (First Regiment) F G. Harrison (Randwick). Sergt.Major BiHon (A.R.R.), W. H. lV»wHt <Pjrraniatta), George Fisher (Sydney), I. ® tt **JJ** hausen (Parramatta), and J. J. MatbWoo

(North Sydney). The last named two have l»een picked chiefly as coaches. M. 11. Tessimond (Lithgow; and C. Morrison (Goulburu), emergencies. One weak point in the Liverpool (N.S.W.) manoeuvres was the breakdown of lateral communications between one column and another. - laird Kitchener agrees in the immense importance of lateral communications. And an officer suggested to him that as they are so important it would be a good thing if such crossings as that over Dead Man's Creek should be improved. “I don't want to see that crossing improved. ” said the Ft rid-marshal. Hie optnlnn is that a practice-ground with the difficulties taken out of it is no praet iceground. For practice he would choose a line of communication with a good big bump in the middle of it. The Professorial Bo.inl of Victoria College last week discussed its committee’s proposals regarding University military training. While various views were entertained as to university military training, a motion was carried unanimously to (he effect that while the Board was of opinion that the Government must make provision for teach ing the theoretical and practical sides of rhe military art. it was not prepared to say whether the direction and control of such instruction should rest with the Defence Department or with the university. The Board was also unanimously of opinion that the question of direction and control should be submitted to Lord Kitchener. No. 2 Company of the Auckland Garrison Artillery, at present in camp at the North Head. fired tbeir instructional series last week. Lieut.-Colonel G. \V S. Patterson. Officer-commanding the Garris-on. acted as chief umpire for Fort Cautlev, and Captain Pilkington. R.N.Z.A.. in a similar capacity lor the North Battery. Ar (’autley Captain Potior was Batterv ’’ommander. with SergL-Major Clarke as •i<<isrant. and at the North Batterv Lieut. 1 homas was in charge, with Lieut. Ewan as assistant. Everything went off satisfactorily, and judging from the results the company should make a gotsl sh oving in the competitions. On Sunday the company held a church parade half attending the Anglican church ami half the P.esbyteriaa church. In the afternoon the men were “At Home.” a large number of their friends going across from Auckland to visit them. Excellent work has been done by all ranks, ami the efficiency of the corps will be considerably raised when the training is coneluded <>n Saturday next. “Tiny” Knyvett. who has been dismissed from the volunteer force, has been dispensed with, not because he was not a good soldier. but because he broke a regulation in the “New Zealand Times”). Many a keen man has been “broken” by a regulation. I don’t suppose rhe authorities could object To “Tiny,” of the First Queenslanders, enlisting in the Territorials as an ordinary everyday private. or that there would be anything against him being allowed to climb to a commission. It is remembereil with a certain amount of .satisfaction that great sailpj's aijd soldiers have smnetitqes bumped hard against regulations, but that their services have not been lost to the Empire. 'Tiny’’ and I trekked together- ami chewed bisects off the same wagon. _ and.-saw .the heliograph at Kimberley working, at the same 1 -moment, and had a picnic on the same hill on the way to Barberton, ami did practically the same things at Sanna s Post and thereafter. I know that under the regulations “Tiny’’ Ins no right to “kick against the pricks.” but 1 also know that there are nut too many keen volunteer officers in New Zealand to make it alto gether judicious to prevent this gallant litrTe soldier from ever bearing arms again. Knyvett always did his duty as a soldier, and although ho ami I sorted letters alongside one another in Pretoria, he wasn’t there very long when he heard there was more war in progress. Although he has broken regulations. I sympathise with him and hope he will keep on being a soldier for the Empire, even though he can’t wear stars.