VOLUNTEER NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 7, 17 August 1910, Page 8

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

(By

Rifleman.)

Captain R. Carpenter, A.A.G., has returned from a visit of inspection to the Thames district. Mr T. Beck, who has been defence storekeeper at Auckland for seven years, has been appointed quartermaster N.Z.M., with the rank of lieutenant. After the lecture at the Officers* Club last week. Captain Plugge, who was recently married, was presented by his fellow officers with some plate, as an evidence of their good wishes for his future happiness and success. Captain J. T. Burnett-Stuart, the newlyappointed Director of Military operations for the Dominion, is at present on the staff of the Fourth Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own), how in Egypt. He is a graduate of the Staff College, and has also qualified as an interpreter of French (second class). He saw service with his - battalion in South Africa, and was awarded a D S.O. for gallantry in the field. Captain Duigan, Engineering and Signalling Staff Officer, has been lecturing to the No. 3 Company Engineers for the past week. .Sanitation, the selection of camp sites, and water supply, formed the subject of one very interesting and instructive talk; and another useful lecture was on the “The Construction of a High Command Redoubt.’* He wont minutely into the multifarious details of such an undertaking, and demonstrated the way to secure a maximum amount of safety, with a minimum amount of work. The Captain has also had a class of the staff-majors in signalling, and it is hoped that the result will be that signalling throughout the district •will receive a fillip. In addition to this work he has also been examining some of the King’s College Cadets, so that his time has been fully occupied. •Colonel G. W. S. Patterson, officer commanding the Auckland Division Garrison Artillery, has issued the following routine order: “A class of instruction for Junior officers will be held at the divisional orderly room, Drill Hall, on Tuesday evenings, commencing Tuesday, August 16th, at 7.30 p.m. The attention of’O’s.C. companies is specially directed 'to the unsatisfactory attendance of members of signalling sections of companies at 'the Wednesday evenings’ signalling parades. O’s.C. companies are reminded that all examinations for proficiency 'badges and personal payments for the year 1910-11 take place before the commencement of the annual camps, and that without regular and continuous training speeds lists have

having occurred of N.C.O’s. and men stat* Ing that they were unaware of the existence of orders affecting their training, O’s.C. companies are directed to take steps to have such portions of divisional orders as concern N.C.O’s. and men read on the first twj parades after issue. O’s.C. companies are reminded that all correspondence on divisional matters should be addressed to the Adjutant, Auckland Division G.A.T., Devonport.” Everybody with the welfare of the Territorials at heart will be more than sorry that _ Colonel Davies has been lost to the Dominion. Many of the officers and men. were looking to him to give the new scheme a big help when he returned from his course of training in the Old Country, nud the news of his appointment to a command In 'England came as n great shock. There is only one opinion on the matter right through tlie Dominion. A Wellington, paper, under the heading “Bad Business,” says: "Colonel Davies was sent Home to Aidershot last year for twelve months’ training, and during that period—the term has just closed —be drew the full salary of his position as Inspector-General—£s2o, Increased in this year's Estimates to £625. We presume, further, that all his travelling and out-of-pocket expenses have also been paid by the New Zealand Government. Fur this outlay we receive in return a compliment to a New Zealand officer. New Zealand spends Its money, and sacrifices the services of this officer for twelve months. In the expectation of deriving the benefit of the experience he gains while in England) and instead of getting that benefit It loses Sils services altogether. Is a worse business arrangement from the Dominion’s point of view conceivable? It Is idle to pretend that the appointment is one of any serious Im, portative to the War Office, but tlie loss of Colonel Davies’ services under such circumstances Is no light matter to the Dominion. The country is just Inaugurating a new system of defence, anil the extreme scarcity of capable officers affords ample justification for regarding the future wltk misgivings."