THE BIG GUN PRACTICE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2155, 22 May 1914, Page 8

THE BIG GUN PRACTICE

TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME

GENERAL HAMILTON'S VISIT

General Sir lan.Hamilton, Inspector- : General of the Oversea Forces, arrived in Wellington last night by tho 7.g3 express from New Plymouth. He was accompanied by Major-General Godley, G.Q.0., New Zealand Defence Forces and staff, and Major Ashmore, of General Hamilton,'s staff. This morning at 10 o'clock General Hamilton will leave by motor car to make an inspection of the Wellington coastal defences. Tho feature of this iiispecUou. will b<s the witnessing of bi.g gun practice of tho Royal New Zealand and Garrison Artilleries from Fort- Dorset at the wrecked steamer Devon. 'Vftcr tho bombardment of the Devon, Forts Dorset, Ralianee, and Kclbwne are to engage in battle practice, in that, they will endeavour to stop iko passage into the harbour of a hostile cruiser represented' by two Hong-kong targets drawn by the Jaiiio Sodden. When tlio Government inspection [3 completed, General Hamilton will . return to town to bo tendered a civie welcome at the Town Hall at- 4 p.m., when members of the general public aro invited to bo present. During the reception the City Organist. (Mr, Bernard Page)'will play selections, oil tlio organ. Tho. General will dine ill the evening with members of, the Cabinet, A big review inspection will heheld by General Hamilton to-morrow afternoon at Newtown Park. Some 1200 members of the Senior Cadet, Corps and City Rifle Clubs-.will take .part in the renew. .Subsfi-qwci.it to the review the General will present- tho Ladies' Chal- . lengc Cup and cups won at the recent Citizens' Carnival and Group Rifle meet' ing. As a compliment to tiro General as a Highland officer, tho Wellington Highland Pipo Band tpljj parade" with the rifle clubs during tho review, .and -play t-liem on the march. • Oil Saturday evening General Hamilton will d-ijiG with members of the Wellington Club,. On Monday ha will■ inspect the Wairarapa Cadets at Masterton, on Tn.ffi-s.day evening he will, attend the meeting of the Victoria League in Wellington,, and on Wednesday I'ne (lenoral and his staff will proceed by the warships Psyche 1 and Pyramus to inspect the Marlborough Cadets at Bleubeiiih The latter will bo tlio last inspection which will be made by Geneiral Hamilton in New Zealand, and lie will conclude Ms visit shortly 1 afterwards, 111 connection with' Saturday afternorm's review, the Senior Cadets will hold -a physical drill ..practice at the Drill Hall to-niaht.. ' .. Tho.so responsible for tlio issue of invitations for desire it to he known that as it is quite ppssiblo sonic people .may have been overlooked in spading out invitntfcns, these may be had from the Drill Shed, Buckle Street, on application-, Tll prepa ration for Use inspection on Sat-ufday, 1 -by General lan Hamilton, sem-o sixty members of the local rifle clubs pander] at Buckle Street .Drill Hall on Wednesday night. Th.ev were put ihrotiKh various movements In l-'rosiclont .Marshall,' of the Karon IVi.tk ('luh. Colonel C, Ii Wolfe, Inspector of Rifle phihs, was present throughout the drill, and at its conclusion addressed the parade. He Expressed his pleasure at meeting! -the combined .rifle, clubs for (lie first time. Ho tiiowglit that tho public hardly realised what a valuable asset they possessed for d-efeiicoi in tho defence -rifle cUihs, Accurate- shooting was the -ftinin facte in modern warfare, and it did not matter how well troops were placed in tlio field, if they co-vrtd not '.shoot they would he useless. The idvantam) gained by tho good work -of officers in securing strong positions, would be quite lost if the men could pot shoot well, No concluded by canaratrikt-iiwr, the rifle • cjiib men on the work done that evening.