DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 14

DEFENCE NOTES.

I - (Br EcnKtos)

f ——— Mention, has previously been made, in ' r^J? ° f decision of the Bri- ' nsn War Office to seriously consider tho question of introducing an < improved rifle, of automatic design An invitation Has now been issued to gunmaW" to suhmit to the War Offico designs and-pat f terns {.or an automatic servieo rifle These designs and patterns are to bo delivered, ; by May 1 nest, to tho Director of Artillery, accompanied bv at least 300 ■ rounds of rimless or other ammunition ; ior use with, tho arm The ritte should : be as simple, strong, and compact as possible, and tho mechanism should be well ( protected from the entrance of sand, ram, or dirt, and should not bo liable to « derangement due to rough usage ex'r posure, or fouling Cartridges may be ■-, rimless, and as regards ballistics the V range for a maximum height of trajco-' } tory of 5i feet must not be less than 800 ' J" °f■ , T he weight of the bullet, ,which f v should bo pointed, must not be less than I 150, or, more than ISO grains, and the calibre must bo not less than 27m or • more than .28m, the working pressnro f r f t^sceedln ? 21 tons to f>o square inch • at 80dog Fahr Tho ride must bo as > light as possible, and m any case it is f not to exceed 9Jlb with magazine empty, , [ and without the bayonet It must be capable of bomg used either as an auto > matio-loadmg or as a magazino weapon, £■ the change from ono to the other boing f rapidly and easilj eff-ctcd, and tho bay { onet must bo attached to the foro end t and not to tho barrel Tho advantages t of the automatic rifle are— \ t U ™ moreased-rapidity of fire I' (2) Tho soldier, after firing, can keep I his rifle at his shoulder and his eye on f tho'sighte and the enemy ~ (3) There is'no recoil. In the arrangements which have rettntly completed by the National . Bifle Association'for the Bisley championship meeting of 1910, ft has been decided . that thoro will be no ohango m the di ■ :of miniature targets Atlerture ■ backsights to be affixed, to mihtarfmini- • rS, re i" 8^" > ? nb mitied to tho Conned,of tho National Rifle Association : for approval With regard to Wtchand i ramee rifles, it has been decided that nc "f° "I "V pattern ° tb -« r H»n the officjal pattern in D?d b/ the British { Army may be admitted in service riflo j .competitions unless an officially certified f ftf ot , 6a * n«e be deposited with the-National Killo Association at least t ' ttt "Wnths before the commencement I SL t5! >I approved for I 1^ 'Bisley meetmg, and that tho 5 > ?*;?• 7? e barrelin >ust not exceed 3JIb 1 'E^fci 0 ? the Bnfash Territorial rorce to attend for-the whole period of annual e ? notified-this will , interest New Zealand Terntonals-that, Terntoml and Seserve Forces Act, 1807, every mani belonging to the mounted anc! f idumoßnted , branches of the Territorial f fell oß ma f to train for the s Ml period. When the period of training I ' tea unit is fixed for any particular year I each, mail mit is legally Lblo toaSS F 2! Pf. wbo « Ponod so fixed, and lcaveN I ftprn the whole or any portion of the b training can only by the comf maiding officer of the unit under the pro- ' 551* 8601,00 V>, Proviso (u), of th e v i-erntorial and Ecserve Forces Act A .__ fan of tho Temtonal Force who reports ■ / himself in person to \undorgo the annual training becomes and remains subject to : the Anay A c t f or tho whole period of 6ncn training, but where a commanding ■ officer has dispensed with a portion of tho training ,m any ' individual case '' tt \ man ie,snbiect to the Army Act for Buci. portion of the training as has not . been,dispensed with by the commanding offloer-A case recently occurred where a man; who had ocompletcd 8 days of the ani jiual training absented himseli without , ™ e remainder of the'training ' -4. t™> 'ass the commanding, officer had h not dispensed with any portion of the t 'Bams training, nad he was legally liable f r "K , penod of the t traiiiiK His latanqoijof remaining only I 2

.for: eight : signified in ..writ-, .or/not,:-.did'Cnot. affect. the question. 'As^he , wos'subject toVinilitarV:' law: at'the .time he-absented- himself, • his" case /came under''Section' 158. (1) of the Army Act,: ; and. = he-was-.liable; to-he.taken-into, mili- , tary;■ custody, .and itried.; aiid>punished for the offence of leave (Sec-f tion ; -15 : : (1) - of. j the '■ Aimy. -Act), -provided' his', trial commenced; within; thieermonths ,of the, date, of' his 'having' ceased- to be i'subjec l ho,.could have ;bcon ; i proceeded against undeje. the .provisions: ; of:-, Section. ■! 21, , and . Ee.sarve .Forces^ Act,.; 1907;:: v';'""" \ :,■ .^.., ;rMainiy;- the:,Wellington-'Garrison ;Sig■nallers 1 i.-Club' ~:was v j ormea *i'f opr *' fh'e '■•■pur- , pose"','ofiTaising:.the''cfficiency_:bf■-signall-ing.;;'.- Two- cups ■ Worse;and.;Semaphore). for;animal■ competition , -amoiig • the ivari- , dus.Jsignalling: units;in','the.^Wellington , 'military rdistrict." were:;, , obtained,) and the, first*competitions':were: held;- in Febrp-ary\last;-'32;'siyaUersr.,of;-the^Wellingtbn: ■'Garrison'':■■eriteriiiglvfor-.j;the , ;tests'. ■ .'.The semap'lidVe' , 'coinpetition^^.^as-especially stitufed :f0; 'encojirage' ■ 'members '■ ." of. in-. fanir^;;coßip^Mes/ ; t6'rtakej;;mpre:-interest: • in-.jthi^-vwork;»ian'd i',the.tcommittee ; hopes; .to'.rsee?: ■ com-. petingVfor:-the .cup. this; year.".-The'cups "^l::itfvheld^by,:the\winnlng : ;vto'am:'"for'. twelve /months,: the:: entianpe,'fees : for. ■both"the , , morse'; titions '•-being.'/iisejiy. to ;pnroliase medals :ifvthere.:be. sufficient , entries,-, or equally.' iamong',members -of,: the,' winning 'feams. : . .mepb^rs ', of' : ; the■'■ ■ committee solicitAthe' hearty", support ::bf,: all ■ signallers^in,,ths,3istrict.!,.■::•:!,"'/■ ~■■. :■": v.Thevcionditionsiarranged'': for.; the/com-; petitions4his~year'j,"are as- followr-f .:';': '•' ;'.;MbrsV:ChaHengV 'Cup, -tofbo;. competed ■for ..annually;.: the'.«!cond; : aiinrial';compe-; tition to Febriiary:, 2e;:,g91.0V-%ip-ahße':?.,fee ly i" is; per; team;:open,\to'.teams\of,lfpurvieri; from: any.Uvoluriteiir..- company, in Sthe.:': Welling-/ ton' military district;.. if, , suffioient entries, ■are'.-received,:• each- memberiof, the:.winning ■.■team\;..\ril_l , ."repeiye3;a Vmedal;.; Each man.'isitd .send/andV'receive .one service message';bf .200 • letters; (including -answers, check-letters,'.;eto.),' : .acting',in..all, duties.' tfessa'ges,will-'be- niade-'outvon New: Zea-.land-service form'(VJ.: 124),;. and-.'handed .to-'the;;."caller,''.:with the "\ preamble- left : ..blank'..'-' 'F.ornis'i; to' inv' correctly; :mis'tal{es ! inifilliniV :fdrms.' : to:',be:'ddductea,.'froni i total;:;.; Time , ;aUb.we'd ; .:_for; i ito6h , ■ completingrformS'"6 : : minutes,, .fiineJ3^frota;'tHfe' , •Wessage!^s?;ha'n^ed;/ ; in^by l i'Jie:'.'r€ceiying'pbin&]'to'"'be Wt.'to ,the;Eolo-discretibn of,, udgingv'bfficefsi. .niarks j:being ■-.deducted; or.,mistakes.-;.in -.message, tbad.' 'bad!<'wrilmg,.Vajtfl';;6labkiiiMs' , ' , bejriiig'.and; , ' stationidiscipline.'! -J E'egula-; tidn,small' Bntranco names.;:of: team,'" to: be,- forwarded,'to the.:secretaryi not later 1910.;'.. ; ;- ; '.> V .;;.Semaphore.-: Challenge; VClip feei:4sL.vDer .team;--;open".to teams, of- four, inenyrdm;:any:.volnuteer ! I pompany : .in:the; Wellington;>xdili tary.'' distriot ;.• if ..sufficient entries:,received,leach;member of.winning: team".'[will.,;:receive a.'..medal;: 1 /Each.'man: to; act 'in laill /duties, , ;, and/.'send i; and JreJ [oe&ji". one; paragraph - message',: of .200; let-; tore-, (no answers) j; time' allowed for.:each'; messagej : .< ! :mmufe'V'Marks : :w.iji:.be\.de-.i ':as'.: in ";mbrse obmpetitipi; , '■■ 'None bther.'.than■ the'-regri-* lation. Bmall '.morse .flag-.will ; v be intrance fees,;;.tpgether/.with names i'cf!.'team,;ito, be;iforwarded-,;to;■-the secretarK;not.::iafe.'thanVFebru^':i2,i.l9lo.:;;■ ;,#)■:. .ii.ln.s : the'.icompetition. for.,;the:/Battalioij- i; Semaphore;;,Chal|enge-.Cup,:;to;be.'held.'ii; :', ;February '.next^the■;.date' to-;be I :.decided;'.; |upon;';later,';i'tliev-follbwing'-.;.aro , the. : con-■ .] :.ditil^y^pen^to'Ateamßi^.p|-r>fbnr : :, meh'. s from'; ahy> corps »in;':the';>Battalion, mbm^ , v , bers~:of:..the:>signfiUing!':'Eection':-'qf?'the • .Post .;and; J i small;'mbrseiflagiwill. 'be .'.used.':;: .Entrance-: .fee: J . ; All .entries.. ;nam'es; ' 'of, .the: members'.of':a:team;- and must! be.: ' :'aMpmpaniedj.%.a;fee ofilSi'por-man-'per ,, | If sufficient entries are received.each; '■ J memberbf ,:.the winning team will receive*- i" j medal, rptherwise';..the .money- 'will'bev.di'- f -,"' vide(l.'.;V.'Each; ineniber. ;, at ■ the ; ;!team 'will , r l :be rreqiiiredStbVaot:; in;*all.:duties; and! i] send'and I, ;receive .itest"grdupst-of :200'ilet'i .■/ • ters., : ' Time; allowed,;. 5 ■ ■ minutes. . -Points ;. ;WillvDe;award«dV as'.-j?follow;:—Accuracy . ; ' .'(full marks),: .60;; sending, ;20. i"; Marks to;; ■;'.•;;-•--:'■■.• '■■'.;..! : j -:':;,-vS;(-::-j:J; '■■y■■ :■■.; .:

tiip maximum number of- eight: >j]l be deducted: ; at discretion of judges, for sending; ranking-- only. as fair, , ■ indifferent, or bad.. Writing, 10, subject to dcducnqn,,.at the.disoretion of the. judß«e, if slovenly , or. illegible... Drill, "and general bearing (including■•station'.;discipline), 10 :