THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 340, 29 October 1908, Page 8

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

CENERAL'ORDERS. EXAMINATIONS-E. l. companies, . N.Z.G.A.V. General orders'by the New Zealand Defence Council includo the following syllabus for proficiency • examinations for electric-light sections of- Garrison-Artillery Volunteers for 190S-9 • • Syllabus' A.,' engine-drivers.—Oil-engines— Principle of' four-cycle' engines; lubricating of ongino';'' starting,' 'running, and stopping; use of'self-starte'r arid its manipulation; pumps: air inlet'and exhaust valves; vaporise valve-box and heating arrangement; uso and control of' governor; oil-supply; watertanks and their use; precautions before starting and when running.; repairs and remedy of faults. ■■! _ . 2. Steam-rengines—Boilers—care aJid maintenance; principles of . firing and stoking; fittings and.thoir use;; principles of the steam-engine '.(slide valve, etc.); repairs to engine and boilers; duties when in chargo of steam electric-light engines and boilers; use of gauges, pumps,, valves, and other fittings; starting, running, and stopping; lubricating, etc.; maintenance,and'?are of steam-engines. Note —Companies will be examined, in accordance with above syllabus, applicable only to the type of engine installed where the company is stationed. > . Syllabus 8., electricians.—Elementary electricity, batteries, jointing electric-light cables and leads; principle of dynamo-sparking—its causes and remedies; care of, and testing, dynamos; fittings in the dynamo-room and emplacement; circuits for the defence electric lights,--use of hand and automatic lamps; care of reflectors; projector and fittings; directing-stations—instruments and manipulation; use, of telephone apparatus and bells ; duties when in charge of aynamo-room, emplacement, and directing station. ENGINEERS' CHALLENCE SHIELD, 1908-9. The following conditions will ( govern the competition among the New Zealand Engineer Volunteers for the Challenge shield Competition for the volunteer year ending 1908-9: —

Discipline.—A corps is to bo considered under examination from tlio commencement to the termination of its annual training-camp. ' Special attention is to bo paid to. tho discipline of tho company, and marks will be deducted by the engineer-staff officer, or- officer deputed by him, for any slovenly work throughout the camp, such as—La to falling in on parado; bad discipline on parade, or lack of smartness; bad discipline in camp, such as disturbance after "lights out," camp routine not properly carried out, tents and lines not clean; men improperly dressed when outside the precincts of camp; lack of smartness in saluting qffioers, 'etc.; neglect in cafe of Government stores and property.—Total marks, 100. Penalties for bad discipline in accordance with abovo will be made by deductions from the total marks awarded.

Attendance. —Tho engineer staff officer will receive confidential, instructions for tho marks to be allotted for" attendance to count towards gaining tho shield. Each section— field engineers, field , telegraphists, field signallers—will be allotted a task in practical work during camp. Marks will be awarded for timo, 25; efficiency, 75—total, 100. Four tasks of approximate equal value, in conformity to the syllabus laid down by general regulations, will be l set for each section, "and their allocations determined by lot; drawing for same_ will be under the supervision'of tho Chief of the General Staff. The task falling to the lot of each company and section will be handed to the O.C. company one week before, date of commencing camp. •'• ,r

CENERAL. The New Zealand Volunteer Long and Efficient Service Medal has been awarded to:— Captain John Flaus, Invercargill City Guards; and Private H. J. Cave, East Coast -Mounted Rifles. The New Zealand Volunteer Service Medal has been awarded to:—Lieut. • Robert Webster, ex-South Franklin Mounted Rifles; and Private A. Erskine, Third Wellington Rifle Battalion Band. The resignation:.'of G. S. Remington, Wanganui Defence Cadots, has been accepted." Extended leave of .absence has been granted to Captain,.G. .V. Trask, ; N.Z.M., staff-officer to the. Chief;,of the General Staff, until Deosmber 28;., and' -to ■ Captain C. Rogers, N.Z.M.,lnstructional Staff, until October 31, bothon, . certificate. Lcavo of absence, pending..,'reiirtijiient .from' the service asVinedically unfit,- has also been granted to Captain ,W. P. until Do-, cember .13,,,,1908.Lieutenant-Colonel N. Kettle, No. 3 Wellington Rifle Battalion, has been granted leave of absenco until November 2,, 1908. Major W. Evans, New Zealand Medical Corps'(No. 2 Company Dunedin Field Ambulance), having relinquished his duties, has been promoted .to the reserve. . Captain J. M'Keown Withers, Now Zealand Medical Corps, has been attached to the staff of No. 2 Canterbury Infantry Battalion. Appointments—Lieut. C. W. Harris, to be Acting-Captain (pay'and-quartermaster), No. 1 Regiment, Auckland Mounted Rifles; Lieut. C. F Faulkener, to be acting-cap-tain. Wakatu Mounted Rifles; Mr. J. S. Rutherford, to 'be acting-lieutenant, Wakatu Mounted Rifles; Mr. F. J. Carr, to be act-ing-lieutenant, Canterbury. Mounted Rifles; James Greene Milne,' to bo' acting-lieutenant, Otamatca Mounted Rifle' Volunteers; Wyndham Malan Grattan, .to be acting-lieutenant (re-elected), Scddon Horse Mounted Rifle Volunteers; Surgeon-Captain John Smith Purdy, M.D., district sanitary officer, Auckland Military District. ARTILLERY TRAINING, I*oß-9. , ■ Tho following circular referring to the training of the garrison and field artillery services during 1908-9, has been issued by the authority of Colonel A. W. Robin, C.8., Chief of tho General Staff :— GAER-ISON ARTILLERY. . , "Regulations ro Examinations . All non-commissioned officers and men who pass a qualifying-, examination as under will be classified and awarded proficiency badges, certificates, and : personal payments of £1 per annum:— Subject. "MS?" * Classification. Gunnery • 75 First-class Gunnor. Signalling ) As laid down f Qualified Signaller. Gun-Laying ... from timo to I Qualified Gun- \ time in "In- ( Layer. Range-Finding ... [ structions I Qualified D.R.F, J XorPrticfcice."[ Specialist. Electric Lighting 75 Qualified Electrician. Engine-Driving...' 75 Qualified Engino- ■ ~ ~- Driver. Non-commissioned officers must obtain 80 per cent, in order to. qualify for certificates, badges, and payments. No non-com-missioned officer or man'will be eligiblo for certificates, badges, or payments in more than two subjects. The conditions for examinations will be as laid down in "Instructions for Practice." ' All examinations must bo completed either before going into camp or, within tlio first few days, in ordor to pernut of company training being carried out. An endeavour will bo made to pay N.C.O.'s and men their personal payments for efficiency as soon as possiblo after tho canip; therefore officers commanding companies will;' with the assistanco of tho divisional sergeant-major, liavo tho necessary vouchers and requisitions for badges, personal payments, and certificates, forwarded together with tho results of the examinations,' immediately on conclusion of tlio training camp.. Companes will carry out class firing under the conditions as laid down in "Instructions for Practice," with tho exception that they will not bo required to fire from guns which they do not man on mobilisation. There will theroforo bo some companies which mil fire exclusivply from B.L. guns, others from B.L. and light Q.F. guns, and ono company from light Q.F. guns only. The company scoring the highest figure of m(?rit from B.L. guns will bo awarded the Coast Artillery Shooting Cup, whilo the

company that obtains the highest record from light Q.F. guns will be awarded the "Hudson Cup." Where facilities exist, and night firing can lie carried out with safety, some light Q..F. series should ho fired bv night. Captain Richardson mil, as far as possible, attend all Garrison Artillery camps and supervise the training in order to cnsuro uniformity. Tho following officers arc detailed as umpires for Garrison Artillery practice:—Aackland, Captain Piikinglovi; Wellington, Major ffi'me; Canterbury, No. 1 Company, Captain Richardson, No. 2 Company, .Major Hume; Otago, Captain Gardner. Field Artillery All non-commissioned officers and men who pass a qualifying examination as under will be classified and awarded proficiency badges, certificates, and personal payments of £1 per annum: — Subject. Classification. Gunnery 15 First-class GunnerDrivioG 75 First-class Driver, Gun-Laying ... |As laid down f Qualified GunI from timo to J Layer. Signalling ... ) timo in" In- ( Qualified Signaller. Range-Finding ... | structions QualifiedßunGc--1 foiTractice." I taker. Non-commissioned officers' must obtain 80 per cent, in order to qualify for certificates, badges, and personal payments. No noncommissioned officer or man will be eligible for certificates, badges, or personal payments in more than two subjects. Tho conditions for examinations will be as laid down in "Instructions for Practice." All icquisitions for badges, payments and certificates will_ bo rendered through the proper channel immediately on conclusion of the training camp. A new regulation vill shortly bo issued, revising the establishment of Gold batteries as under: —4-gun batteries, total establishment 100; 2-gun batteries, total,establishment 53. An effort should bo mado to complete theso establishments before the annual training camp. Captain Richardson will umpire all field artillery practice.