THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 173, 15 April 1908, Page 9

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

i $ 1 EASTER MANOEUVRES. | NEWS AND NOTES. . The fallowing arrangements for the transport of the Garrison Artillery division to tho forts an embodied in Divisional Ordsrs by ■ Lient.-C'ilcmcl G. F. C. Campbell No. 1 Company, G.A.V. (Wellington Navals), and No. 3 Company (Elcctric Light Section),'will ,embark , oil the Janie Seddon by 7.30 p!m., en routo to Mahanga Bay. No. 2 (Jompany (Petono Navals) will prooocd by t;ain to Wellington, and thence to Seat-oun pir spccial tram leaving tho Government Railjvay Station at 7.30 p.m. The tailoring orders havo also been issued for tlio inlormation of those taking part- in tho,oncrntbns at tho forts:—lmmediately oil arrival at banip the troops will fall in and ho into veliefs by officers commanding companies, after which, tho first relief will procecfl to man all positions and inako preparation! for defonce. The elcctlic lights will be manned by tho R.N.Z.A. aid No. 3 Company G:A.V., and will bo run Continuously from dark till dawn .throughout jhe period of operations. Special instructions will be issued as to their tactical oniploymeut.l The following hours ;will bo observed, unless special conditions,, such as .when manoeuvres ire being carried out, necessitate, alterationi Rcveilli' . ... 5.45 a.m. ■ Early niorning coffee 6 „ . Paradel ... ... 6.30 ~ Breakfast ' ...-. 7.30' , Parade j... 9' „ ' ' Dinner I 1 p.m. , Parade! ' ... ... 2.15 ~ Tea ...... ; 5.30 ~' • Retreat; ... ... ... 5.30 „•• ' ' : ' First ncKt ... ' ... 9.30 ~ ' Second jiost ' .... 10 • _ ~ Lights olit ... , ... ■ 10.15 ~ On'-Easter Sunday troops will fall iu at 9 a.m. for inspection, after which tho whole of the camp is to bo thoroughly .'cleaned up. Inspection, will (f0110w..-. . . ' The -0..C. Division -rccosnises that there may bo isolated'cases,whoro.men.may bo unablo to att-flnd tamp on Saturday. Leave of absencs may bo' granted ( to men who require to come into town for work on Saturday mo'rning; : such .(ases must, however, bo inquired into and Svouched for by commandingofficers of. corps. .. . ;• ' . , ' - - Men's baggugolmust bo alongside the Janio .Seddon' by 7.30 on Thursday. Tables, trestles, and. heavy camp material must bo sent down to thoiste'amer before 2 p.m. , , Tlio Hong-Konsj targets he used for tho night-firing-practeo. .will bo painted , 'Enthusiasm over the Easter manoeuvres in the Auckland:military:district hung fire for i while, and at,olio time it seemed as if the sehemo of operations outlined by the Council of. Defence wouldj:bo:met in a very, halfhearted spirit by the Auckland Volunteers, a muster of 450 - .being the most sanguine estimate; With tliß approach 'of Easter, lioivever, matters .bavi assttined a different aspect. ' Tho Chief-of tho .General Staff has rc» : ceived a message flom' tho Officer ;Conunanding the Auckland -iVlilitary District, -stating that enthusiasm, over the nianaiuvres lias growii : very keen, alid the'latest estimate indicates a probable; muster- of about 900 of' all ranks. So far .as Wellington is 'concerned, the: success] of the operations, given fine weather, is assured. , • AT AUCKLAND. : ; .. (DY IELIGRArri.—SPECIAL .CORRESPONDENT;) !'Auckland,- April .14, It is expected thit- at tho Easter, .manoeuvres, -to b6 held: at Castor OU Bay, -Lieut-rColonel"Wolfe,loflicor- oommandirig, will, havo. iio ; fewer thaii !800 or 900 men under liis control,,. Of thislfovce some 200 will bo stationed at : , Forts' Takapuna, Cawtley, audBastion, wliilo of tho rest moro thaii half will be made-up of ii|onnted' infantry, whoso pre-senco will . add. greater interest t-o tho work-; and/.assist in its'efficiency. Tho men will go int<> camp on Thursday evening, and tho whole fprco will then • muster at Castor Oil- Bay, where ,the preliminary orders ; will be issued. ' The'general idea is'that an attacking ;,forcp' .'(bluo)', liaf'landed- !.at ; Brbjvn's; Bay, north of.,Takapuha, its i object being to securoa position the forts of Auckland,: and that thii defending force. (red) has . been, .mobilisedjind: cbhcentrated. at' .Cbstor Oil Bay, to. meot^ho; attacking party. Lieut.-Colonel ,J. R. Reed.will'bo in charge of''the bluo. force,, andj Major A'. T. Kcnrick will havo control of tpo red, force. 'It has been decided ;tliat S thcrp shall bo-no' canteen at. tho camp, i thereby -upholding a precedent' which was established-nino years ago. Perhaps tho predomiuanVfbature of the arrangements is;that.the senlices of t-ho-'Adjutant-Geueral to tho ' Now 'Zealand Forces : havo been allotted! to tho local: Volunteers.' Colonel Tuson arrival' from .'England a short time ago', and: his: experience should .prove in'valuablo both; toj,the' officers and-tho men.' ; : • (by lEiichAPn—rins's association. ) " , | ■ V- -iAuokland, April 1-1. . 1 During Easter tlio Coast Defence manoeuvres will : bo. carried out : at Auckland,' ; Wellington, " Lytteltbn,;.'.and Dunedin. ' . Tho j.' Adjutant' - General of. the New Zealand forces .' wrote to tlio Harbour Boiird this afternoon, stating that it is'intended, to rehearse certain war, conditions, including examination of vessels 'entering the jiarbour,-'-if; tho Board did not object. This is'to bo, .carried out by an "examination vessel" for., several hours oach day. ' It irf not intended to inconvenience harbour traffic, the examination ■ being' dono from 11 p.m.' to 3 a.m; on the nights ,of tho 17th, ißtn, 19tli, and'-20th, and from, 3p.m. to 5' p.m. daily; Tlio Department asked the aid - of the Board jin tlio matter.'