VOLUNTEER NEWS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 49, 2 July 1891, Page 5

VOLUNTEER NEWS.

[By

Torpedo.]

RANGE TIME-TABLE. July 4 —Victoria Rifles, City Guards, Newton Bifles, Royal Irish. July 11 —Auckland Navals, Ponsonby Navals. July 18—Martini-Henri Rifle Club. Sergt. Budd of the “A” Battery has resigned and sent in his uniform etc. “Jack” was undoubtedly the battery’s favourite Sergeant and he will be greatly missed especially by the old members. Sergt. McKnight of the Newton Rifles is an old soldier, and although he has only been in his present company since November he makes an excellent non com. After a period of over 30 years as an active volunteer, and a quarter of a century as commander of the Waiuku Cavalry, Major Hamlin has resigned,, and the troop have unanimously decided to offer the vacant captaincy to Lieut. J. F. Haultain, the troop could not have chosen a better man and they may congratulate themselves if that gentleman accepts the position as he is a capital horseman, an enthusiastic volunteer, and what is more essential in a volunteer officer in command, he is possessed of rare tact, and a quiet and cool demeanour. Mr. Haultain assures me that he has not yet made up his mind to accept the position, but I gather that he is favourably disposed.

The shooting match, 12 men aside, between the Ponsonby Navals and “A” Battery took place on Saturday, and resulted in a much closer match than was expected, the Battery winning by only 22 points. P.O. Ewan made an excellent score of 82 points. Several prominent members of the Battery were well down the list, while Hazard, quite a young shot, heads it. The peculiarity of the Ponsonby team’s firing is that the three Spinleys, usually good shots, are at the bottom. The following are the scores

Majority for “ O ” Battery. 15 points. - ?? Mr. J. A. Eakins has been gazetted Lieutenant of the Napier. Nkvals. A gang of prisoners from Mount Eden Goal are engaged effecting repairs to the Drill Shed. Lieut. Cresswell of the “F” Battery Napier has resigned. ■ ~ The four Rifle companies will have the use of the Rifle range on Saturday next in lieu of the Martini-Henry rifle club, the latter being short of ammunition, a supply of which is expected about io days hence. ; Six members of the late “ O ” Battery joined the “ A ” Battery on Thursday last, and more are expected this week with their transfers, which allow of the parades they have already put in to count for efficiency. 7; Major Goring was very severe oh the Irifa'ntfy companies at the' last' inspection, especially complaining about the state in which he ’fouhd the arms and accoutrements. The general opinion seems to be that the Major is just a little too hypercritical in this respect. Some excitement has been caused in Volunteer circles, by the proposed disbandment of the “ O ” Battery on account of the resignation of Captain Ried and Lieut. Webster, and the inability of the members to fill the' 1 vacancies suitably. The members have very generoiisfy decided to present their handsome and valuable champion cup to the volunteers of the district, to be fired for under the old rules, reserving the right to any “O,” Battery man to win it outright, the cup is at present held by Sergt. McCallum. The “O ”, Battery was first formed during the Russian scare, and has been cotnmanded successively by, Captains Whitney, Seymour T.j George, C. F. James, and Reid, and was unquestionably at one period of its existence the finest Corps in the district, the break up of the “ O ” Battery is regarded as a severe blow to the present Volunteer system and it is quite on the tapis that others may follow their examples

Sergt. McCallum who has thrown in his lot with the “A” Battery, will be a great acquisition to their already exceptionally strong shooting team, as will also several other “ O ” Battery men. n. Some highly satisfactory tests of Whitneys ammunition took place, recently in Melbourne, and that gentleman has received the Victorian Goverments bonus f° r the half million cartridges.

“A” BATTERY. Tl. Names 200yds. 300yds. 500yds Gunner Hazard ... 27 . 26 . 20 - ... 73 Sergt. H. Doughty ... ... 31 27 14 ' 72 Gunner Henderson .. ... 30 19 . 22 71 Gunner Dunningham ... 27 27 16 jo Corp. Webster ... 29 24 13 66 Sergt. Parslow ... 30 17 18 65 Corp. Kearsley ... ... 27 25 11 63 Gunner Moore ... 25 23 14 • 62 Q.M.-Sergt. Lipscombe ... 28 18 14 60 Sergt.-Major Doughty ... 27 18 14 59 Gunner J. Buchanan ... 26 23 8 " 57 Corp. Hutchinson ... 29 14 6 . 49 I III ■ •w 1 ■ Totals ... 336 261 170 • 767 PONSONBY NAVALS. I - rf Names 200yds 300yds 500yds : ti: P.O. Ewan ... ... ... 30 26 26 <- 82 P.O. Graham ... 27 27 14 68 Seaman Passley ... 27 23 17 67 Seaman Martin ... 27 17 22 66 Seaman Ewan ... 20 27 18 65 P.O. Stanley ... 27 21 16 64 P.O. Nesbitt ... 25 20 16 61 Seaman Erickson ... 26 24 9 59 P.O. Sherson ... 27 17 11 55 P.O. J. C. Spinley ... ... 23 15 15 53 P.O. G. E. Spinley ... P.O. J. Spinley ..» ’ ... 27 ... 13 14 23 12 16 53 52 ■II .11 —— ‘ ______ Totals ... 299 254 192 .745 Majority for “A” Battery, 22; • .. F The “ O ” Battery defeated the Permanent Artillery by 15 points on Saturday afternootf, the conditions being seven men aside with seven shots each at 200 and 300 yards. This will be the “ O ” Battery’s last match. ■ .*■ c O” BATTERY. Names 200yds 300yds .TL Gunner Greenshields .. ... 27 25 52 Gunner H. Head ... 30 22 :• 52 Sergt. M. M. McCallum ... 28 20 • 48 Qr.-Master Sergt. Fairs ... 26 21 47 Gunner P. Browne ... 29 18 - 47 Bugler H. Arthur' ... 23 22 . 4ft Captain G. Reid ... 22 22 44 »■■■■ 185 150 335 PERMANENT ARTILLERY -fi t Names 200yds 300yds •TL Gunner Conley ... 29 23 52 Gunner Bannon ... 25 25 50 Bombadier Champan .. ... 28 22 50 Corporal Farquharson.. ... 29 - - * 18 47 Gunner Lambert ... 26 19 45 Gunner Bonner ... 27 15 >42 Gunner Bailey... ... 22 12 .. 34 186 134 320