VOLUNTEER NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 14, 6 April 1910, Page 10

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

(By Rifleman.) Staff Serzt. Maj”. W. M Bell. Instructor «.» Ist Regt. A.MR.. is at present away ia Rotorua on his annual leave. The rumour that Colonel Wolfe was to be transferred t*» Dunedin was. it appears, without foundation. The news that the Colonel is to remain in Auckland will be received here with much satisfaction. The Palmerston North Naval and Military Tournament < ••mmlttee has decided to interview Admiral P*» «re, in command of the Australasian Squadron, with a view to beeuring the attendance of a naval contingent at the m xt tournament. Mention Is made in the annual report of th- Petone Naval- of Petty Officer Bair, who last year applied for six months* leave .-.nd went to An-tralia in search of work, lie obtained employment on the Wnratah. I’he fate of that vessel n<» one knows, says the report, but if P.O. Barr has gone t» Lis death, his memory is held in love and respect by the officer- and men of the company. Melbourne ‘Punch” states that FieldMarshal Kitchener receives no special fee

for reporting upon the land force*, of Australia and New Zealand, but it must not be imagined that he has been working for nothing. His salary was fixed by the War office when it instructed him to standardise the oversea troops. As a field-marshal K. of K. receives £3500 a year and most generous travelling expenses. Moreover, K. of K. has received votes of £OO,OOO from the British nation for his exploits on the battlefield. apart from salary and allowances. The Franklin Mounted Rifles had a day out on Saturday week, when their Annual Mounted Scouts Competition took place. The annual dinner and meeting was held during the evening. The Scouts Competition took place at Maraetai, and a large number entered, all being very keen and well trained, and some good work was witnessed. Q.M. Sergt. Daw was declared winner. This is the second time he has won this competition, and he deserved praise fur the masterly manner in which he works himself and horse. Pte. Gillard came second and I‘te. Lord third. The dinner iu the evening was most enjoyable. Amongst the visitors were Mr. F. W. Lang. M.P., Capt. and Adjt. Nutsford, ami Capt. Colbeck. Musical items were contributed by Lieut. Shaw. Pts. Gillard. Lord, Spencer, Hawthorne and Davidson. \V. Cox. of the Victoria Rifles, won the MeCosh Clark Cup. The Corps has had four wins out of the last five competitions, previous winners being Corp. Patrick, Sergt. Yeo and Capt. Cox. On last Tuesday week the Victoria Rifles held its 49th annua! meeting. Capt. lox announced that the Corps would, on the 17th April next, reach its jubilee, having been formed on the 17th April, 18€0. It was also pleasing to note that the sen of the founder of the Corps (Major Derromj was Trow its senior lieutenant. Ihe balancesheet showed the Corps' position t > be in credit to the extent of £297. The following report of the Corps’ shooting for the past year was submitted by the secretary. Mr J. J. Preston:— "You will be pleased to know the Corps has again maintained its position as senior shooting company of the Garrison, as the following record will show: Won Sargood Cup (Dominion Field-1- i ring Competition); tied for Colonial Ammunition Company Cup (Dominion Field-Firing Competition t; won rifle match v. ILM.s. Prometheus: wen miniature rifle match v. Gordon Rifles; won South Auckland Rifle Association banner (Patrick. J. B. Preston. Anderson. Carlsen, and Cox); A. Patrick won District Cup: J. B. Preston tied for South Auckland Rifle Association Championship; J. Anderson tied for Rapid-Firing Match same meeting; T. Jack won medal for second in North Island Class-1- iring Competition: J. Anderson won medal for third in North Island Class-Firing Competition: A. Patrick won Akarana Rifle Club Championship; J. Carlsen second in patriot Belt: A. Patrick. G. 1 arley. and J. Anderson finished Sth. 16th, and in the final fifty at the recent Dominion championship meeting, while A. Patrick was selected to represent the Dominion in Australia and was one of the team to win the. Empire Match, fired at the champi.msni? meeting. In company competitions, th Champion Belt was won by \\ . Cox; Rowe s Trophv bv W. Preston: Anderson's Trophy by S. Rowe: Company Prize by John Preston: Aggregate Prizes by Churches and I>. Jones; Non-Smokers and Smokers’ Trophies by W. Brownlee and D. Jones. On Labour Day, a very successful Ladies’ Day was held on the'range, when prizes were given by Col.-Sergt. Lee and other friends, the prizes being won for the ladies by Sergt. Monk, Privates Rowe and Carlsen. The Section Competition was won by No.J Section (Sergt. Monki: Attendance. o<«». attendance was won by Bugler Cammell drill, 20. CoL Sergt. Lee's Trophy for best (possible parades).” A corps that has a good reputation in the Dominion is the *;D*' Battery. New Zea and Field Artillery. Wellington. It has been in existence as a volunteer battery since 1867 —43 years, but under the new Defence Scheme is now being merged into the Territorial Force. To mark the occasion of the change, past and present members of the Corps held a smoke social at the Masonic Hall Wellington. Major Petherick. of the Battery, occupied the chair, and there were several ex-officers present, including Major Moorhouse and Courtney. The fear was expressed that on the change of name to No. 1 Battery. Wellington Division, Field •Artillery, the Corps would lose some of its prestige, but the Major remarked that it would always be known in Wellington as the , T>’’ Battery. At any rate, there is a good foundation to work upon, for during the past three weeks the strength has increased to 150 odd. During the evening ai: exceptionally fine programme of mtisica’ items was listened to by those present, a special feature among which was the singing of Mr Abel Rowe, who responded several times to recalls. During the evening he also kindly consented to render a march song, entitled ‘What We Have We'll Hold.” composed by Major (’ourtuey. Perhaps the "star” turn of the evening was the humorous duo between Mr Rowe and Driver Duncan, which occasioned considerable mirth, the house cheering for a repetition. Mr Dick Keenan, another old Aucklander, and ex-member of the Battery, delivered several recitations in his usual fine style. Mr Roy Sine!, the caterer, is also a native of the sunny clime, and a most promising officer of the Battery. The No. 1 <’o. N.Z.G.A.V. hold ’their annual picnic at Motukorea on Easter Monday. What would have been a very enjoyable day was spoilt by rain in the afternoon. There were numerous children’s events in the morning, and the company’s races were run in the afternoon. The following is a li«?t of the principal events of the day:— 150yds Company Championship.—Corp. Cochran 1. Gunner Cochrane 2. Gunner Pemberton 3. 75y«ls Single Ladles’ Race.—Miss Z »e Lee 1. Miss Rose 2. 22hyds Company Handicap. -Gunner Pollock 1. Gunner Pemberton 2, Gunner Gunning 3. r»«\vds Swimming Handicap.—Gunner Brown 1, Bugler Muller 2, Gunner Brownlee 3.

50yds Married Ladles' Race.—Mrs. W. Taylor 1, Mrs. Dowd 2. Knyvert Mile - Handicap.—Gunner Ibbltsou 1, Corp. Cochran 2, Gunner Pemberton 3. 75yds Married Men’s Handicap.—Sergt. Wiilstead 1, Sergt. Puddle 2, Sergt-Major Hill 3. Baby Show.—Mrs. T. Hill's baby boy secured first prize, Mrs. Lee’s girl second, and Mrs. A. Hill’s girl third. Relay Race. —Gunner J. Edwards’ team 1. Big Gnn Shooting. In a circular memorandum to officers commanding the ten companies of garrison artillery, which completed their annual course of training in fort manning and big-gun shooting at the various defended ports of the Dominion, Captain G. S. Richardson, Chief Instructor of Artillery, announces that as the results of the 190910 service practice at the big guns. No. 1 Company, Canterbury Garrison Artillery Division, has been awarded the Coast Artillery Cup for shooting. The order of merit is as follows: —-

The winners of the Coast .Artillery Cup (No. 1 Company. Canterbury Garrison Artillery Division) obtained the highest figure of merit for shooting from all types of guns. Both the Canterbury companies obtained a high figure of merit for shooting from the quickfiring guns, but their work could not be satisfactorily compared with the Q.F. gun practice of the other companies, as the practice at Lyttleton was conducted iu the daytime, using an improved method of gun-laying which accelerated tile rate of fire very considerably as compared with the more difficult conditions imposed upon the other companies, which fired at night. The Hudson Cup, awarded for efficiency in Q.F. gun practice, was therefore awarded to No. 2 Company, Otago Division, whose record of six series by night, with an average figure of merit of 1.021, was accounted excellent, reflecting careful training and a high standard of efficiency. The 12-pounder Q.F. gun practice of the AA'ellington Navals was considered to be accurate, but slow. That of the Auckland Gunners, ••indifferent." THE EFFICIENCY SHIELD. As the efficiency returns have not yet been completed, the results of the intercompany competition for the challenge shield for general efficiency will not be announced until later. , SOME CRITICAL REMARKS. The following table shows that while there has been a marked increase in the percentage of hits to rounds fired, there has been a falling off in the figure of

This falling-off in the figure of merit is accounted for in the report by the creation of new and more difficult standards of efficiency—night-firing for Q.F. guns; increase in the mean range for B.L. gun practice: prevention of the use of picked detachments for the company service practice. The B.L. gun practice was not so good this year as last, hut the light Q.F. gun records are superior in accuracy and rate of fire, an advance of over 12 per cent in the hits recorded having been made on the previous year’s figures. The memorandum further states that “the night-firing from 6pr. G.F. guns was good, and considering that it was the first year that Q.F. night firing was compulsory. the results exceeded expectations. A new system of laying which was introduced at the commencement of the season was largely responsible for the increased accuracy and rapidity of fire. During the coming year frequent aiming rille practice by night should be carried out.’*

“The poor shooting from the B.L. guns In the Auckland district is responsible for lowering the average figure of merit for the Dominion below that of last year. Of the eight series fired by the three companies in Auckland, only two were ‘•first-class' series. This was due to want of training, some of the companies being too large to permit of all the men receiving proper instruction on the limited number of guns available. “There is no reason why companies, with the facilities they now have for training, should not always obtain a first class figure of merit from 6in B.L. guns. Training camps are for company training, but if companies go into camp with a large percentage of raw recruits, individual training is all that can be carried out, and good shooting is impossible. It is a mistaken idea to estimate the effieiencv of a garrison artillery company by numbers. It is efficiency alone that counts. To get efficiency a sound system of individual training is required before recruits are allowed to participate in company practice, and this is impossible when the numbers are too great for the instructors and the material available. “The Westport Garrison Artillery fired this year from its new equipment (12pr. Q.F. guns mounted on railway trucks), but not having had opportunities of preliminary training, owing to the guns being only issued just previous to the camp, did not get very satisfactory results.” Some delay has been experienced in the compilation of the results of the New Zealand field artillery shooting competition for the Rhodes Cup, owing to the fact that the Auckland Battery was unable to complete its firing during the training season, it being impossible to do so in the face of the prohibition of the Defence Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), on the subject of Sunday shooting. As soon as it can be conveniently arranged, the battery will fire its final series, an I. the results of the competition will be announced immediately after. Engineers’ Efficiency Sliield. The shield presented by the Government for the encouragement of company efficiency amongst the New Zealand Field Engineers has been won this year by No. 3 Company (Auckland), with a percentage of 79.55. The other companies obtained the following percentages: No. 1 (Canterbury), 76.50; No. 2 (Otago), 72.4; No. 4 (Wellington), 64. New Zealand Officers in England. Captains Grant and Whyte, two of the four volunteer officers who were sent to England for training with the Arniy, have been to the School of Musketry at Hythe. They commenced their course of instruction on 27th January, and finished on 24th February. These officers had to remain at the school for some weeks longer for the purpose of going through the Maxim gun course. There were 80 officers (principally of the Regular Army) going through the musketry course. The whole fired for the classification. To be a marksman it was necessary to obtain 135 points. Captain Grant made 142. The marksmen in the class numbered 12. At the finish, Grant took fifth place out of the 89 shooting.

Figure of C ’assifiCo., Canterbury Merit. cation. 1. No. 1 1.121 1st 2. No. Co.. Otago 1.021 1st 3. No. 2 Co., Wellington 1.010 1st 4. No. Co., Canterbury .922 1st 5. No. 1 Co., Otago . .896 1st 6. No. 1 Co., Wellington .716 1st 7. No. 1 Co.. Auckland .601 2nd 8. No. 2 Co., Auckland 532 3rd 9 No. 3 Co.. Auckland .431 * x 10. No. 1 Co., Westport .351 *N.C. *Unclas sed. THE HUDSON Q.l ( I’ p.

merit; — Percentage Figure of of Hits. Merit. 1904-5 ... 36.10 .421 1005-6 . . . .... 46.60 .510 1906-7 ... .... 51.09 .622 1907-8 . .. 62.45 .855 1908-9 . . . .... 71-50 .970 1909-10 .. .... 83.60 .704