THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 527, 7 June 1909, Page 7

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

GENERAL ORDERS. General orders, by tho New Zealand Council of Defence include the following, announcements:— ' . , Appointments.—Sergeant-Major G'.'T. Catto, to be staff sergeant-major instructor (infantry), Otago Military District; Acting-Captain G. E. B. Mickle to ho adjutant,' Wellington Garrison Artillery; Captain-J. E. Loughnan, M.8., 5.i.11.V., to be medical i officer. South Canterbury Mounted; Rifles; Captain Thomas Haslett Ringland, adjutant lird, Battalion, Wellington Rifle Volunteers; ■ Captain Joseph Thomas Briee, acting-major, Canterbury Division New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers; Lieutenant James Gresham, ading-captain. Geraldme Rifle Volunteers; Edwin John Twigg, acting-lieutenant, • Geraldine Rifle Volunteers; Lieutenant. Thomas Adkisson Gates, actingcaptain, Kaiapoi Rifle Volunteers; Ernest Claude Bawnsley, acting-lieutenant, No. 1 Company (Canterbury.Division), New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers; ■ Nathan Mines, acting-lientenant,' Waimate Rifle Volunteers; George Kelly, acting-lieutenant, InTercargill City Guards Riflo Volunteers; Herbert Sam Newman,' acting-lieutenant, Christchurch City Rifle Volunteers;- William Kirkham, actinglieutenant, Caversham Rifle Volunteers. Promotions.—Lieutenant J. B. Andrew, Napier Guards, to.be captain. Resignations.— Captain P. Symon, 'R.N.Z.A., W.,;adjutantcy. of. the Wellington Garrison Artillory Division; Captain W. H. Nelson, Fifth Battalion; Wellington Rifles (to the ac- ,■>'?, «st, nnattached); Major W. B. Fleming, M.8., N.Z.M.C., Clutha! Mounted Rifles (posted to the regimental-staff, Otago Mounted Rifles); Captain (pay 1 and quarter-master) J. T. Brioo, Divisional Staff, Canterbury Garrison Artilwry (to be acting-major on the staff of the diyismn); Acting-Captain W. H. Davy, Napier High School Cadets. , A nulnber of appointments were cancelled .owing to failure to pass examinations. l J asscd ; for certificates of rank—Captain D. K. Menzies, Wellington Garrison Artillery, for major; Lieutenants W. L. H. Burgess, A BatJ«y. N.Z.F.A.V., and' H. Glendining. D Battery, N.Z.F.A.V for captain; Acting-Lieu-tenant SI. H. Ri Jones, Ashbnrton High School Cadets,.for lieutenant. '■-.■■ ....'.

boyBENMENT PRIZE MEDALS.' ' It is notified, for general information that tor the volunteer year ending on 'February 28, 1910, the conditions under which Government prize medals will bo competed for by mounted rifle and infantry volunteers will be as follow;— • : .. < ■, The gold medals for the best shot, and the gold-and-6ilver medals for the next-best shot, inveach Island .'will be awarded to the men l making the highest aggregate scores in each island in the annual classification and marksmen s practices. The district silver medals will 1» awarded to the men making the highest aggregate score in the annual classification ana marksmen's practices in each district, provided the man making the highest score is not a winner of either island,medal, in which event the district medal will be awarded to the next highest scorer. Ties to bo decided in manner describedjn the rules of tho New Zealand Defence Forces Rifle Association. . The practices must be fired iunder the strict supervision of an officer, of'either'the permanent or. battalion staff, and the scores made should be immediately sent to this office. The' conditions under which Government prizo medals for .1909-10 will be competed for by defence cadets will be as follow;—' ■■" > . 1. A gold-and,-silver (composite) medal for the best shot in each island. 2. A (silver medal for the best shot ineaoh distnot, . ■ . ,

Competitions for these medals to ,be confined to members of the defence cadets'at colleges', 1 high .schools,.and defence cadets not connected with schools.- The gold-ond-silver medal for best shot m island to be awarded to the cadet ■making, the highest aggregate scoro in- each island in the annual classification and marksmen s practice. ;. Tho silver : medal to be awarded to the cadet making v the highest aggregate score in the annual classification and marksmen s practice (see target .practice . regulars, 1908-9), in each district, provided the cadet making the highest score is not the winner of an island.. medal, in which event tho distnot medal will be awarded to next highest score i^ tho district/:Ties.to be decided in manner desonbed m the rales of tho N.ZDF Association. ,Tho practices must be fired under the-strict supervision of an • officer of ' either the-permanent or battalion staff, and-the origi. "o-thf r ffi' lnade bo ■ Imracdiately sent

: GOVEKNMENT PBIZE FIEING; \' With reference -to, the item of ,£250 ,on the annual appropriations of. the Department-for rifle •prwes for.,shooting, etc., open to'volunteers and. defence cadets only, the following .will (provided Parliament at its coming session again approves of the grant), bo the conditions undor'wniph the' competitions are to take place for the year«nding ; Pebruary 28, lflio-.-Only of. mounted rifles, infantry, and: defence cadet corps are to be allowed to compete.,rhe. amount apportioned, pro rata, to each district, taking, the strength of the 1 y a ?S h t sot force, named on March h m &'F n > ™der:-Auckland, 18s, Bd.i Wellington, m 75...3d.; Nelson,- .£2O 15s; Id.; Canterbury. £iQ ss. lfld.; Otago,. ,£6O 13s

The amounts apportioned to be awarded bv officers commanding in small prizes,' aocordmg to the results obtained in the annua! course of practice, are as under-JJirst-elass shots, 15 per cent.; second-class shots, .< 30 per cent.; recruits, 20 per cent