DEFENCE NOTES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 October 1907, Page 10

DEFENCE NOTES

I , • . ■ Secretaries of Volunteer Corps ant Rifle Clubs are invited to eontributo items of interest for insertion in this column. (By "Echelon.") ) Under tho auspices of' the Auckland GaP» rison Officers' Club, there is published an admirable little Service Journal, appropriately styled "The Haversack." An escellcnt series of article on "Coast Defence," from tho pen of "Garrison Gunner," has been published in successive issues of "Tile !Kayemck" recently. The subject is a vij.al one to an in. ' sular community, and the following precis of tho first of the series should,, therefore, be of more than passing interest: — iUiiXE ASSOCIATION. The one absorbing, topic if conversation among riflemen this week js tho; much-de-bated question of the date of , the local Association's annual meeting. It has been finally decided that the date : s to be November 9, and this, notwithstanding the fact that several corps will be unable to compete, as they are taking part in tho military tournament at Palmerston North t'si the same day. The alternative is the 22nd "'f January, but for somo reason or otlier tha Rifle Assocla",i refuses to consider any proposal to alter tho date, and there it stands. Apart altogether from whatever influences havejbeen afc work to attain this end, the fact remains that the Association, in holdine; to this decision, lias consistently ignored the broad question of the general * interests of the whole, Lieut.-Colonel Duthio has refused to apportion the Association's share of the Government grant for competition on November' 9, as he considers that to do so would bo to inflict an: injustice on those corps,which wero going to Palmerston. - The. position js'-aii.'tm. fortunate one, for it has created a division in the ranks of an organisation, which has been doing distinctly good work. ... . .'5nap5h0t5.,,.,..,,,. An affirmation in lieu of an oath has, been provided by the Council of Defence, for nso by defence cadets. In lieu of taking the, oath of allegiance, every ,cadet shc.ll, prior to .enrolment, mako affirmation iii the .following form:—"l, A.8., do solemnly, sincerely, ana truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Edward, the, Seventh, and that ; l wiU faithfully serve in-the cadet,-volunteer force of the colony until 1 shall, do lawfully, discharged." All cadets alreauy. enrolled, .'andfuture cadets before enrolment, ,must make the above affirmation. . ; ■Reccnt promotions:—Lieut. Pethorick, of ' the D. Battery, : to bo Captain, vico .Captain Courtenay, resigned;' Lieut. M'Dermid,.. of the Highland Rifles,; to lw Captain, vice Captain Macintosh, 'who has . received, liis majority, and is now attached to Lieut.-CoL Duthie's staff. " ... The ,annual meeting of the Pongaroa Rifle Club was held on October 5. The ,rcsigna- - tions of the retiring President and Secretary, Messrs. U.' Haines and J. D. Milner,- were , dcccptod with regrot, and a vote of thanks ' was accorded them for pnst >arvices. Messrs. A. Herbert and J: Allen it ere unanimously elected to the offices of Pivsident and Sec- , rotary, respectively.' It was 'decided that competitions. would take pkee on Wednesday afternoons and public holidays. The first "shoot" was to have taken place on' Wednesday last. ' , ....'• ' : • The new wind-gauge slide, mentioned in connection with the Trenthsm rifle meeting, is provided with two "v" notches, ono for use with the loaf down and one for use with the leaf up. The slide is. joined to the elevation slide'by means of a dovetail groove, and is capable of being adjusted laterally to allow for •windt«l9iA'»«cale is*-marked ion the black edge of the slido, each division, of which gives an per 100 yds. ~ This sliding bar fs undoubtedly of a very serviceable pat- . torn. Tho adjustment is.easy,.quick and cer-tain.-'lt will fit oil,any ,back-sight of regulstion size; • .... "J"... , Captain James M'Naught, the organiser of the National , League of. New Zealand, Has had seventeen years' service in. the volunteer forces of the Dominion! In Dunodin ho wag a member, of the B Battery, and,for several years was connected .with the Dunedin Highland, corps. Eight years ago he established tile. Wanganui Highland; Rifles, | arid'also tho Wanganui Defence Cadet Corps, of/which latter company ho has been captain since its inception. Captain M'Naught is a'keen shot, and ,has been, in the highest fifty for the championship. He has also written on defence matters. Captain M'Naught also takes ' great'interest,in athletics,, and at one time he held tho Now Zealand championship for the high jump. At Wanganui'.he was the promoter, of the movement for. the establishment of the, excellent sports ground that' that town ■ possesses. ... . • •' The Military Circus, under tho superii> tendence of Colonel Jowsey, mil bo one of the principal attractions of . Carnival Week, in (Jhristchurch.. It will be held in the: King Edward ..Barracks, and promises to bo even more successful than that previously seen under the same management. The individual championship, series of tha' Christchurch Volunteer Rifle Association will be commenced at.the Redcliffes Riflo Range on Saturday. The conditions aro seven shots at 200, 500, and 600 yards. Medals wjll be j given to tho highest aggregate scorers ;in 5 the A and B grade sections, tho marksmen j having been classified. ■ ••.. :■; At a meeting of- tho Canterbury Yeomanry ' Cavalry, held. last week, : Lieutenant G.* E. Rhodes was oiected to tho, captaincy of. th« corps. ■ . , r , '• .Lieutenant Hewlett has been elccted caji tain of tho Christ's College Rifles. Captain Hewlett is an enthusiastic young officer, and a keen marksman. , ; The-Manawatu Rifle Association will hold its annual meeting on November. 7 and'B. Amongst the many-trophies to bo competed for is a; very handsomo shield presented by Mr. S. Greer. Tho conditions are seven shpts at 200, 500, and 600 yards, open, to ,teams of fivo men of any club or corps id, the Dominion. There, is, also a. prize of £4, besides ono gold medal and four silver medals for tho winning team. • ■' \ s There was somo very, remarkable shooting at Bisley recently. Sergeant-Major . Wallingford scored three centurics in succession, • and ono of' them was a highest; possible- of 105. 'As this last score was maclo without sighting shots, this romarkablo shooting is a world's record. In the whole fcompetition he made tho rocord of 498 points. Just a word. A-number'.'of riflemori have lately. procured sliding-bars with >.screw at- , tachments for . the back-sight of their rifles. This is-not the one authorised by the War Ollico, and permitted under the rules of the N.R.A. The use of tho screw-attachment bar is not allowed at championship/meetings, although in some respccts it is [superior tp •tho, bar countouancod by tho' authorities. Rillemoii will do well to note this. .