CAMPS BREAK UP.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1385, 11 March 1912, Page 2

CAMPS BREAK UP.

COAST GUNNERY. I AND INSPECTION 1!Y GENERAL. 1 Yesterday the three companies of the 8 Wellington division of f lie Garrison Ar- | tillery broke camji, awl tbe men ilispcri-ed to their various homes, ami were at liberty to doil' the King's uniform which they bad worn for (be Ui*t week. Tbe | camps have been n great success, and nil o' the ullii-vrs in eommaiul are pleased nt fl the, maimer in which the men have taken to their work. There has been nraeti- - oally no trouble. A number of tiio men J* state that they bad no idea that garrison work wa.s so interesting, or that camp life could l>o run so smoothly. Credit is naturally due to the ofneers mid instructors, who have spared no pains in their endeavour to make the men understand that, though the training was, compulsory, it need hot be irksome. Fort Kelburnc. On Saturday Major-General Godley, C.8., mid staff inspected the camps. In the morning the Gwisral proceeded to i Fort Kelburnc, where No. 5 Company were encamped under Captain lievun. During the inspection 21 rounds were fired from the two Gin. guns at "llongKoug" targets towed by tbe .lanie Sol- I don. After the firing, the General ex- ' pressed himself ns being pleased with the work done during the week; with the conduct of the men, and with the result of the. firing, which be said had been good. Fort Dorset. In. the afternoon General Godley motored out to Fort Dorset, and. inspected No. »■ Company, under Lieutenant Oram. Colonel'S. N. Johnston (Director of Ordnance) had given instructions that eight rounds should l» fired from the new 6m. guns while the General was present. 1 lip guns at Fort Dorset (Al and A 2), though of the same calibre as those at 1-ort Kelburnc, nre more modern, and ; are mounted .on the latest model of gun-pivots. Those at lort Ivcl--1 burne are mounted on disappearing pivots. . The advantage of the fixed pivot is that a much greater ranidity of lire is ob- ', taincd. The guns are also longer in the barrel than those at Fort Kclbtirne, thus having a longer range. They had not . Ikcii fired mure than fifteen times previously, and, as far as the men of No. 'J ' CoiiHianv were concerned, it ivns their first ' I rial with the guns. No rapid fire was ' done, and onlv eight rounds fired, the gnn- ' ners shooting at a fixed target—one of the ' small rocks in front'of the fort. All the ' shots were food 1 , two of them bitting the \ rock in the middle, the others being blightlv over. ■ , . After the shooting, General Godley nd- ' dressed a few words to the men, complimenting them on their shooting and gen- ; r! oral progress made during the camp, lie I hoped that thev would keen un the tradi- „ tions and standard of the company that f had manned the guns under the old sysi tern of volunteering. He also compli- . mented Lieuts. Oram and Johnston upon I the discipline- which they had established i' in camp. '; Fort Ballance. ti Soon after General Godley's arrival at :, Fort Ballance, No. 3 Company commenced shooting with their G-iwiinder at "liong:s Kong" targets towed by the Janie Seddnn. 1. Altogether' .36 rounds were fired. The J. shooting was not so good as that at Fort I: felburne, but as it was the first time 1- that the majority of the men had ever seen .n a gun fired, much less fired it themselves, it was ouite satisfactory. Besides, at' Fort 0, Kelburiie many of the men were in the j'etone Nnvals, and ■ are finite familiar t. with big gun shooting. After tbe shooting tire General made a ■o short snaech, and expressed his approval v'. of the way in which the men had taken 1. to camp life. On the whole, he seemed ), very pleased with the Wellington Divi- .), sion. . , . . General. Godley was accompanied on his ,;- (our of inspection by Colonel N. Johnston, Colonel E. S. Heard, Colonel W. C. ra Chavtor,. and Captain, 1!. 0. Chesucy. jt. Miijor'D. "K;"Mchzies "and .Major F. J. ) Courtney, as'divisional majors, took an L\ activo part in the firing at tlio throo 1. The Ambulance Corps, consisting of tlio ' Wellington, Tarnuaki, and Wairarapa sections, hive gone into camp for their t week's training at Fort Dorset.