VOLUNTEER NEWS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 52, 23 July 1891, Page 6

VOLUNTEER NEWS.

[By

Torpedo.]

[Contributions to this column are invited. All communications should he addressed to “ Torpedo,” and reach this office not later than Tuesday in each week. Notes from country corps will be specially acceptable.] RANGE TIME-TABLE. July 25—Auckland Navals, Ponsonby Navals (res. marker).

The Victoria Rifles have decided to try conclusions with the “A” Battery single-handed, with fifteen men a side, and the match takes place on the 4th August. The Newton Rifles felt aggrieved at not being asked to provide a representative for the combined Rifle team against the “ A ” Battery. They were not even consulted in the matter. A levy is to be made upon the officers of volunteer corps to meet the expenditure for the alterations to the officers’ rooms at the Drill-shed.

Miss Buckland’s concert was announced to be under the patronage and presence of Majot Goring and the officers of the Auckland Volunteer Force, but Captains Geddes and Kohn were the only two to appear in uniform, which greatly irritated the former. Volunteers generally are still expressing their dissatisfaction with the variable and unreliable nature of Whitney’s Snider ammunition. The bonus which Captain Whitney recently received from the Victorian Government for the first million cartridges was for Martini-Henri, which proved highly successful on trial. The Martini-Henri Club are still unable to fire, as they have not yet received their ammunition. The Government are not acting honorably in this matter. They have sold a number of Martini-Henri rifles to volunteers and others and have failed to supply them with the requisite ammunition, and these expensive weapons are in consequence useless. There was a splendid muster of the Auckland Navals on Friday evening last. The torpedo detachment met at the rear of the Drill-shed, where the passed men were put through a course of lamp signalling and shaped very well,' Lieut. W. Smith being in charge. The remainder of the company were taken over to the North Shore and exercised in gun drill by Lieut. Commander Parker and Lieut. Little.

A correspondent wishes to know who ‘the Naval Artillery man is who caused the flag to be hoisted half-mast high at Waihi the other day. Can any of my readers inform him ? I cannot.

I. have been asked to state whom I consider the two most consistent Snider shots in Auckland at the present time, and I say unhesitatingly Captain Tobin of the Royal Irish Rifles and Gunner M. M. McCallum of the “A” Battery, in the order named. Gunner McCallum, who is about to open a wholesale and retail ironmongery business in company with Mr. Wingate, is about to proceed to Sydney for a month or so on business. Gunner “Monty” McCallum would make a good lieutenant, and there is a vacancy. . < Speaking of the Wanganui Rifles, a correspondent from that town says that company are in a position to challenge any company up or down the coast to a competition in shooting, drill, or any other military work. There was a good muster of the “ A” Battery on Thursday evening last at the Drill-shed., under Captain Geddes and Lieut. O’Brien. Sergeant-Major Bush, of the Permanent Artillery, delivered a very appreciative lecture on gunnery, after which Lieut. O’Brien exercised the corps in company drill. The Victorian riflemen have proved a complete frost in England. They failed to attain the second stage for the Queen’s Prize, and were equally unsuccessful in other matches. Their highest aggregate was 66, whilst the lowest successful competitor was 82.

Saturday was everybody and anybodys’ day at the rifle range, and as the afternoon was beautifully fine there was an unusually large number of marksmen present for practice. In connection with the proposed reception of John L. Sullivan and the other notables who passed through in the mail-boats, Bandmaster Hunter, of the Artillery Band, informs me that he was approached and asked to name a price to meet the visitors on their arrival, and that he named a merely nominal sum, and was told he would be again waited upon, but heard ho

more of it. Mr. Hunter feels sorry that no arrangements were made, as his band would have given their services gratuitously for such an occasion rather than have allowed such a tame reception.

A match has been arranged and the first deposit put up for a mile run between Frank Wilson, the winner of the recent one hour “ go-: as you-please,” and Sammy Goodman, for £2O a side, to take place in ten weeks’ time. Having heard a great deal of talk during the week about Mr. “ Tom ” Halstead and the disqualified horse Ironbark, in which that gentlement is accused of having bought the horse bogusly, we have seen Mr. Halstead, and he desires us to give the rumour an unqualified denial; and he further authorises us to say that if anyone can prove that anyone else owns a hair in his tail he will forfeit the horse and to a charitable institution. Mr. Halstead also adds that if any gentlemen who is capable of looking after a good hack applies to him, he can hire Irohbark at ten shillings per day.